Fine quality antique oil on canvas by listed Belgian artist, Henri Schouten (1860-1927). It depicts several cattle grazing in an autumnal meadow with a lovely blue sky in the background. The cattle are painted with great detail, especially the coats and faces. Schouten is renowned and well collected for his superb ability to capture farm animals. Signed by the artist, lower right. Displayed in its beautiful original heavily carved gesso giltwood frame. Born in 1860, Schouten studied art at the Academy of Brussels from 1876-1881. His works were strongly influenced by rustic landscapes of painter Alfred Jacques Verwee. Schouten worked in both Holland and Belgium and he died in Brussels, Belgium in 1927. He participated in several gallery and museum exhibitions, including the John Davies Gallery, Moreton-in-Marsh, UK, the Union of Arts and in Brussels in 1882. In 1943, a posthumous retrospective of his work was held in the Hague. Art has long been regarded as a strong and safe investment. Ellen Kelleher, a personal finance reporter for The Financial Times recently wrote an article recommending art Particularly in the $500 - $50,000 range as a sound long term investment with an impressive current average annual yield of 9.7%. See 'Hang Your Investments on the Wall' in the Financial Times published in October, 2010.