West Highland Ox, Scottish Cattle Chromolithograph by Olivier de Penne, 1863

This is an original antique chromolithograph, printed in color from several lithographic stones, from Victor Borie's Animaux de la Ferme, Espèce Bovine, published in Paris about 1863. The plate is lettered "RACE WEST-HYGLAND, BŒUF" (West Highland breed, ox). The ox walks toward the viewer's left in profile, a shaggy, red brown animal with a thick coat hanging in locks along the neck, belly and legs. A heavy forelock falls over his eyes, and long pale horns with dark tips sweep up and outward. His tail falls to a long, full switch. He stands on a warm ocher ground, with a gray shadow at his feet and a band of gray behind.

Above the image, the plate is headed Animaux de la Ferme, Espèce Bovine (Farm Animals, Cattle), with the imprint "Lib. Agricole de la Maison Rustique, rue Jacob, 26, Paris" at left (the agricultural bookshop of the Maison Rustique), and "par Victor Borie" (by Victor Borie) at right. Below the image, the artist's credit reads "Ol. de Penne Pinx.t" and the printer's line reads "Imp. Zanote r. des Boulangers, 13, Paris" (printed by Zanote, rue des Boulangers, Paris). The abbreviation stands for pinxit, painted it. The artist is the French animal painter Charles Olivier de Penne (1831 to 1897).

The West Highland breed, known today as Highland cattle, comes from the Scottish Highlands and the Western Isles, and is recognized by its long coat and wide horns. The lettering spells the name "Hygland". Borie's album sets out the cattle of France alongside British and other foreign breeds, each animal shown in profile on a plain ground so that build, coat and horns can be compared. It was issued by the Librairie Agricole de la Maison Rustique, the Paris publisher of agricultural books.

The clear profile and warm palette suit a kitchen, study or country house, alone or with other plates from the series.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.