The Tow-path: No. 2

Painted in 1873, The Tow-path: No. 2 is a work by Anton Mauve, now in the collection of Scottish National Gallery, that reflects the artistic concerns of the late 19th century — an era of fundamental transformation in both the methods and purposes of European and American painting. Anton Mauve was one of the finest painters of the Hague School, celebrated across Europe for his atmospheric sheep pastorals and coastal views. His mastery of gray-toned naturalism — the particular quality of Dutch atmospheric light under overcast skies — placed him at the center of the Hague School's achievement.

Mauve achieved a distinctive silvery tonalism through delicate, closely related tones of gray, lilac, and soft green applied with precise, controlled strokes. His sheep and coastal scenes are bathed in a pervasive, even outdoor light that has no dramatic contrasts.