Landscape with a Woman driving Cattle

attributed to Giuseppe Zais (Forno di Canale 1709 - Treviso 1781). Oil painting on canvas, Landscape with a Woman driving Cattle, attributed to Giuseppe Zais (Forno di Canale 1709 - Treviso 1781). A view of a river, with mountains to the left, and two cattle beside the river, with a woman driving them. This pair of landscapes may reasonably be attributed to Zais, though, if they are by him, they were carelessly executed. This does correspond, however, to what Michael Levey says of him: ?Zais?s handling is much more vigorous than that of the more famous man [Francesco Zuccarelli] who no doubt influenced him; it has something of the ?dash? of Marco Ricci, itself inherited from Rosa via Magnasco.? (Painting in XVIII Century Venice, London, 1959, pp.67-68). Zais, unlike Zuccarelli, never came to England, nor was he a protégé of Consul Smith. His works, in consequence, scarcely became known here until the 20th century (though the signed pair in the National Gallery was bought in 1889), unless under the name of Zuccarelli (like the Landscape with a ruined tower from John Samuel?s collection, bequeathed by his nieces to the National Gallery in 1906). Born in the Veneto, near Belluno (probably to a German family, since he signed himself Joseph Zaise), he became a member of the fraglia, or painters? guild, in Venice in 1748, and was elected to the Accademia there in 1774. Osterley Park and House, London (Accredited Museum)