Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 148 works by David Cox The Elder in our catalogue
In short
To the gallery's eye, David Cox The Elder's most famous painting is The Garden Terrace at Haddon Hall (1849), whose original hangs in the The Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology, Oxford. Cottage in Herefordshire (1820) and Crossing the Sands (1848) complete the trio every eye recognises. Of the 148 works by David Cox The Elder in our catalog, the gallery presents the 100 most famous below, each original with its year, its museum and what makes it unique.
A stone staircase anchors the scene, its ornate railings climbing toward a massive tree that dominates the right side of the frame. Lush greenery spills over the steps, interrupted only by small bursts of red flowers at the base. Two figures move near the bottom, their forms softened by the light, appearing as mere shadows within the garden's depth. The sky above is a heavy, overcast veil, casting a soft,…
Cottage in Herefordshire by David Cox The Elder is a detailed pencil drawing created about 1820. The subject matter centers on a rural dwelling situated within a traditional English countryside setting. A quaint cottage occupies the central position of the composition, acting as the primary focal point. This structure is framed by the presence of trees and the contours of rolling hills, which establish a sense of enclosure around the…
A heavy, ominous sky hangs low over a vast, arid expanse, pressing down upon a caravan of travelers. The air feels thick with the scent of approaching rain or perhaps just the dry, suffocating dust of the dunes. Every movement seems labored as figures and horses struggle through the shifting sands, their forms silhouetted against a landscape that feels both immense and indifferent. The light filters through bruised, heavy clouds…
by David Cox The Elder, executed in 1842, captures a picturesque view of the River Wye valley in Wales. The work belongs to the Romantic movement of the 19th Century, focusing on the natural landscape. It presents the river, various trees, and the undulating terrain of the Wye valley.
In "Changing Pasture" by David Cox The Elder, we find ourselves looking upon a quiet, rural pastoral view. Painted about 1847, the scene centers on a solitary shepherd who stands amidst the expanse, contemplating his flock. The sheep are scattered across a rolling pasture, their presence grounding the vastness of the landscape. There is a stillness here, a sense of a moment caught between the movements of the clouds and…
Cottage on Dulwich Common, a Windy Day is a landscape painting by David Cox The Elder, executed about 1846. The work captures a quiet moment of everyday rural life, focusing on a domestic setting amidst the natural elements of the English countryside.
The sky hangs heavy with the weight of an impending storm, a swirling mass of dark, bruised clouds that seem to churn across the canvas. Below this turbulent ceiling, a rugged coastline stretches into the distance, its edges softened by a creeping mist that blurs the line between land and sea. The air feels thick, charged with the salt and dampness of a restless ocean. A small group of figures,…
Two figures sit upon the grassy bank, their attention fixed on the slow movement of the water. The river flows past them, a silver ribbon cutting through a landscape of muted greens and earthy browns. Nearby, a herd of cattle grazes in the middle ground, their forms softened by the hazy light of an overcast sky. Above, swallows skim low through the air, tracing invisible paths under an expansive, pale…
Landscape with Man on a Horse is an oil painting created by David Cox The Elder. The work is dated 1849. This small-scale piece focuses its subject matter on rural activity, depicting a rider on horseback alongside a seated figure within a countryside setting.
The Shepherd Return of the Flock emerges from the brush of David Cox The Elder, a painter who captures the quiet pulse of the English countryside. This work, dated about 1850, finds its origins in the life of an artist born on April 29th, 1783, in Deritend, Birmingham. The scene unfolds as a moment of rural movement, where the shepherd and his flock move through a landscape that feels alive…
Moorland Road1851
12
The Church at Betws y Coed, Snowdonia1851
13
The Skirts of the Forest1855 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
14
Landscape with Cattle by a Pool1850 · Fitzwilliam College
15
The Long Gallery, Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire1840 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
16
The Vale of Clwyd1849 · Fitzwilliam College
17
Fishing Boats, Hastings1813 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
18
All Saints' Church, Hastings1812 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
19
Lake Scene, North Wales1811 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
20
Gipsies on Dulwich Common1808 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
21
Landscape with a Man Washing His Feet at a Fountain after Poissin1821 · Yale Center for British Art
22
Hay on Wye1824 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
23
Junction of the Severn and the Wye with Chepstow in the Distance1830 · Yale Center for British Art
24
The Hayfield1833 · Rhode Island School of Design Museum of Art
25
The Great Hall, Haddon1832 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
26
The Farmstead1848 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
27
The Welsh Funeral1848 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
28
Study of a Donkey1843 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
29
Study of Fish, Skate and Cod1842 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
30
Wind, Rain and Sunshine1845
31
Welsh Shepherds1841 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
32
Waiting for the Ferry1845 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
33
Windermere1844 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
34
Calais Pier1844
35
Landscape with Haymakers1848 · Bristol Museum And Art Gallery
36
Cottage Interior, Trossavon near Betws y Coed1847 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
37
Pandy Mill1843 · Laing Art Gallery
38
The Old Mill at Bettws y Coed1847
39
Flying the Kite, a Windy Day1851 · Walker Art Gallery
40
On the Sands1851 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
41
Market Gardeners1851 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
42
Landscape with Man on a Horse1849 · Manchester Art Gallery
43
Crossing the Moor1851
44
The Shrimpers1853 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
45
Dudley Castle1853
46
Going to the Hayfield1849 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
47
Haymaking near Conway1853
48
Dudley Castle1853 · Manchester Art Gallery
49
Evening1853 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
50
Haymaking near Conway1853 · Manchester Art Gallery
51
Girl in a Pinafore1849 · Yale Center for British Art
52
Driving Cattle1849 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
53
Crossing the Ford1849
54
Keep the Left Road1854 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
55
The Skylark1849 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
56
A Mountain Torrent1853
57
Darley Churchyard, Derbyshire1850
58
Moonlight Landscape1849 · Yale Center for British Art
59
The Missing Lamb1853 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
60
Kilgerran Castle, Pembrokeshire1852 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
61
Tending Sheep, Betws y Coed1849 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
62
The Road to the Mill1849
63
Lane near Rowley Regis1852
64
Kilgerran Castle, Pembrokeshire1852 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
65
Going to the Hayfield1852 · Victoria Art Gallery
66
A Breezy Day Going to the Hayfield1852
67
Pont y Pair, Conwy1851 · New Walk Museum - Art Gallery
68
Landscape with a Windmill1852
69
Bolton Abbey1850 · Royal Birmingham Society of Artists
70
Lane near Rowley Regis1852
71
A Welsh Funeral, Bettws Church1852
72
An Old Woman Asleep1859 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
73
A Farm at Betws y Coed1856 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
74
A Road by a Common, Windy Day1859
75
The Wind on the Heath1859 · Yale Center for British Art
76
Carrying Vetches1850 · National Trust
77
On the Lledr1852 · Wolverhampton Art Gallery
78
The GladeAtkinson Art Gallery Collection
79
Fisherman Riding on the Sands
80
Kidwelly Castle
81
Riverside Path
82
The Wayfarers
83
Haymaking on Snowdon1847 · Towneley Hall Art Gallery And Museum
84
Coast Scene near Hastings1812 · Fitzwilliam College
85
The Church, Betws y Coed1856 · Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
86
Kenilworth Castle1807 · Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery
87
Counting the Flock1852 · Wolverhampton Art Gallery
88
Seascape
89
KenilworthMusée Municipal A.g. Poulain de Vernon
90
Landscape with Cottages
91
Distant View of Raby Castle, DurhamGovernment Art Collection
92
The Gathering of the FlocksManchester Art Gallery
93
Moorland Landscape Shepherd and SheepAmgueddfa Cymru
94
Menlough Castle, Galway, Ireland
95
Bettys y Coed
96
The Old Mill
97
LandscapeSheffield City Art Galleries
98
Greenfield House, HarorneBirmingham Museums And Art Gallery
99
Crossing the Heath
100
Fortress on a Rockmr Straw's House
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 8 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by David Cox The Elder | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery |
Birmingham | 20 | Crossing the Sands, Changing Pasture, The Peat Gatherers |
 Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery |
Birmingham | 16 | The Long Gallery, Hardwick Hall, Derbyshire, Fishing Boats, Hastings, Lake Scene, North Wales |
 Yale Center for British Art |
New Haven | 6 | Cottage in Herefordshire, Landscape with a Man Washing His Feet at a Fountain after Poissin, Junction of the Severn and the Wye with Chepstow in the Distance |
 Manchester Art Gallery |
Manchester | 4 | Landscape with Man on a Horse, Dudley Castle, Haymaking near Conway |
 Wolverhampton Art Gallery |
Wolverhampton | 4 | Cottage on Dulwich Common, a Windy Day, On the Lledr, Counting the Flock |
 Fitzwilliam College |
Cambridge | 3 | Landscape with Cattle by a Pool, The Vale of Clwyd, Coast Scene near Hastings |
 Amgueddfa Cymru |
Cardiff | 2 | Moorland Landscape Shepherd and Sheep |
 The Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology |
Oxford | 1 | The Garden Terrace at Haddon Hall |
Pick a decade to see the original that defines it.
Cottage in Herefordshire by David Cox The Elder is a detailed pencil drawing created about 1820. The subject matter centers on a rural dwelling situated within a traditional English countryside setting. A quaint cottage occupies the central position of the composition, acting as the primary focal point. This structure is framed by the presence of trees and the contours of rolling hills, which establish a sense of enclosure around the…
A stone staircase anchors the scene, its ornate railings climbing toward a massive tree that dominates the right side of the frame. Lush greenery spills over the steps, interrupted only by small bursts of red flowers at the base. Two figures move near the bottom, their forms softened by the light, appearing as mere shadows within the garden's depth. The sky above is a heavy, overcast veil, casting a soft,…
The sky hangs heavy with the weight of an impending storm, a swirling mass of dark, bruised clouds that seem to churn across the canvas. Below this turbulent ceiling, a rugged coastline stretches into the distance, its edges softened by a creeping mist that blurs the line between land and sea. The air feels thick, charged with the salt and dampness of a restless ocean. A small group of figures,…
The Garden Terrace at Haddon Hall (1849), The Ashmolean Museum of Art And Archaeology, Oxford. Cottage in Herefordshire (1820) and Crossing the Sands (1848) come next.
66 years old: The Garden Terrace at Haddon Hall dates from 1849, and David Cox The Elder was born in 1783.
The Garden Terrace at Haddon Hall, Cottage in Herefordshire, Crossing the Sands, The Wyndcliffe, River Wye, Changing Pasture, Cottage on Dulwich Common, a Windy Day, The Peat Gatherers, Boys Fishing, Landscape with Man on a Horse and The Shepherd Return of the Flock. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 148 works by David Cox The Elder, dated from 1807 to 1859.
Mostly in Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (Birmingham), Birmingham Museums And Art Gallery (Birmingham) and Yale Center for British Art (New Haven). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1850s: 38 of the 100 works on this page were made then, The Peat Gatherers among them.
On this page, the earliest is Kenilworth Castle (1807) and the latest An Old Woman Asleep (1859).
Landscape (11), British countryside (11) and Atmospheric (6), across the 100 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 14 of the 100 works on this page.
Romanticism, judging by the originals on this page.
Crossing the Sands, Changing Pasture and The Peat Gatherers: the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, Birmingham holds 20 of the works on this page.
David Cox, born on April 29th, 1783 in the industrial heart of Deritend, Birmingham, emerged from humble beginnings that profoundly shaped his artistic vision. His father, a blacksmith and whitesmith, instilled a work ethic that would serve him throughout his life, though young David’s slight build proved unsuited to the forge. Initially apprenticed to a maker of trinkets – miniature portraits on snuffboxes and lacquered buckles – he quickly demonstrated an aptitude for painting, a talent nurtured by a mother possessing “superior intelligence” and a quiet determination. This early exposure to delicate detail would later find expression in his masterful watercolors.
Birmingham itself was a crucible of artistic activity at the time, boasting private academies catering to the needs of its burgeoning manufacturing industries but also fostering a distinctive school of landscape painting. Cox first studied with Joseph Barber and then Albert Fielder, though his apprenticeship ended abruptly with Fielder’s tragic death. A brief stint as a scene painter for William Macready's theatre provided valuable experience in atmospheric perspective and composition, skills he would later refine in his depictions of the natural world.
In 1804, Cox ventured to London seeking professional opportunities. While initial employment with Philip Astley’s Amphitheatre failed to materialize, this period marked a crucial turning point. He dedicated himself to painting watercolors, exhibiting his work and gradually establishing a reputation. His marriage to Mary Ragg in 1805 further stabilized his life, and the couple settled in Dulwich. The first of many journeys to Wales followed in that same year, alongside Charles Barber, providing him with the raw material for his increasingly sophisticated landscapes.
The establishment of the Water-Colour Society in 1805 was pivotal. Though not immediately admitted as a member, Cox became deeply involved in its activities and eventually joined in 1813. This association provided a platform for showcasing his work and connecting with fellow artists, solidifying his position within the burgeoning British art scene.
Cox’s artistic development was characterized by an unwavering dedication to capturing the essence of the British countryside. He eschewed grand historical narratives or classical allegories, instead focusing on the beauty of rural landscapes – moorlands, woodlands, riverbanks, and coastal scenes. His early watercolors are notable for their delicate precision and meticulous detail, reflecting a careful observation of nature. However, he soon moved beyond mere topographical representation, imbuing his works with an emotive quality that resonated deeply with audiences.
He became renowned for his ability to convey atmosphere – the play of light and shadow, the subtle nuances of weather, the feeling of being immersed in the natural world. His technique involved a unique combination of careful planning and spontaneous execution, often working quickly *en plein air* to capture fleeting moments of beauty. Later in life, he turned increasingly to oil painting, producing over 300 canvases that are now recognized as some of his greatest achievements – though they were less appreciated during his lifetime.
David Cox’s influence on British art is profound. He stands as a pivotal figure in the Birmingham School, bridging the gap between topographical landscape painting and the more emotive approach of Romanticism. His work foreshadowed Impressionism in its emphasis on capturing fleeting moments of light and atmosphere, though he remained firmly rooted in the traditions of English watercolor.
Despite facing periods of financial hardship and relative obscurity during his lifetime, David Cox’s legacy endures. He died in June 7th, 1859 leaving behind a body of work that continues to captivate audiences with its beauty, sensitivity, and profound connection to the natural world. His paintings offer a timeless glimpse into the heart of rural England, reminding us of the enduring power of art to evoke emotion and celebrate the simple joys of life.
