Featured Cow study (English? mid 20thC? Artist?)

Painting of a cow, I couldn't resist because its just so darn 'cow'. And very impressionist with the lighting. 12 x 16 in.

The artist appears to be "King", an incredibly common artist name, so any ideas how to narrow down searches? The alternative is to the K is "n", but Ning just doesn't seem right.


Back has no gallery labels, original stretcher and simple slat white frame (reminds me of the 70s).

Staples, not nails used (under slats), not pre 1950 imo. One staple shows on back, and the canvas is knife cut after put on stretchers.

Found this artist as a possibility on artnet that fits the time period: John Gregory King. but signatures are different (but often studies aren't given the same attention and thus names get 'scrawled')

Another possibility is William Gunning King, well known illustration artist in England for feed companies, did lots of cows and pigs and livestock, but his work was early 20th and his signature is very "architect font" - very blocky. See sample of unsigned studies and final work:

Gunning King died in 1940.

Any cow artists come to mind? clues?

 

Nice picture.
Be sure to check back. It's Easter weekend - so many may not be around to look.

 

breed looks Simmentaler. without horns rather recent. they started to cut the horns off because of the danger to all these would-be farmers that don't know how to handle them - they have a soft and friendly character and some are even trained to give you a kiss - feels like a shave with sandpaper .

 

i thought they cut the horns off so the animals wouldn't injure each other.......
but maybe that's for a different breed..?

 

I was thinking maybe Hereford cows but no matter, I really like it but can't help with the painter.

 

Name looks like "Ning" to me. I really love this cow painting. It has soul.

 

I chide myself: DOH! Never thought to check what kind of cow it is, and where it might be commonly raised. That's another clue. thx.

There are many "Ning" artists on artnet, but they seem to limit themselves to oriental subjects and styles. Plus the capturing of the 'soul' of the cow (that's why I couldn't resist buying it) strikes me as somebody that really understands/studies/lives with the breed. And the lower case "n" bothers me. But it is undeniably "ning" looking. Just seems to scream England to me, or US West as weak second.

 

update: I broadened my search to "Ning" artists, which seems to quadruple the number over "King", and after whittling down artists to those with somewhat similar styles, I found some in Canada, one that studied in Oklahoma, some in California, one Ning that painted at a cow at least once, most use two name signatures, signatures never match, most born after 1960, so it seems I've gone from out of the kettle and into the fire in terms of expanding rather than limiting the possibilities....Valuable info nevertheless.

And Simmentaler and Hereford are both equally good possibilities (breeds, not artists, and just as common worldwide). They are both typically brown with white faces...

So I'm just going to attribute it to Rembrandt and enjoy the cow painting.

 

I even more enjoy and love your cow painting now it will be attributed to Rembrandt

 

Yes, enjoy it; it is very special.