Any thoughts on these old cows

I bought this unsigned oil at a Sydney auction a while back. It's on saggy canvas, was unframed and is pretty big -- about 2'6". It's age and origin are a mystery. The paint is lathered on in some places and I find the colours and whole approach unusual. The canvas is just old and grey. I don't think it's Australian, but any thoughts most welcome. Thanks

 

I like it,very impressionistic . Do you have a pic of the back ? Sometimes that can help determine age.Oh, and welcome.

 

I think this is well done. Is that a signature at the bottom about 1/4 of the way in from the left side?

 

Looks like it was done by someone who had a clue. Some condition issues... flaking paint?

 

Looks as if paint put on with a palette knife to make an oil impasto style work. Any wooden stretchers on the back? Odd it's not signed as it's large and nicely done. Can't see the frame either to give another indication of date.

 

I had it reframed, so that doesn't help, and there is no signature. The back is just old canvas. The painting is very boggy and very cow-ish, and there are issues -- loss of paint because the canvas bulges and wobbles. Perhaps some "stretchers" would help stabilise it. Good thinking, Houseful. It's hard to know whether a palette knife was used or whether it was just cheap paint week. Looking at the back again, it's perhaps older than I thought, but where, when and by whom is a mystery. Thanks for looking. P.s. It arrived in a ghastly modern frame so there's never been any help from that quarter.

 

If you want to stabilize the surface, I think you would have to have the canvas re-lined. I doubt that's a job for an amateur, especially where impasto is involved. Just stretching the canvas is not likely to be effective; the stresses on the fabric during that process may cause more paint to pop off.

 

Thanks moreotherstuff, sound advice. I will leave it severely alone.

 

If I had to guess I'd say it was American.

 

The landscape looks English