An oil painting on paper depicting a flock of sheep advancing through deep snow, with trees on the left. Signed "J.F.". This may be a study for a finished oil painting, although few preparatory works by the artist survive; most of his painting was done in situ, using an all-weather painting hut on wheels equipped with a stove that allowed him to endure the bleak weather conditions that he depicted. Several painting huts were stationed at different locations around Finzean allowing Farquharson to select the light and atmospheric conditions he required. He also made use of model sheep produced for him by William Wilson, a carver and gilder of Monymusk, Aberdeen, which could be arranged as he wanted.

For much of his career Farquharson specialised in painting snow scenes and winter landscapes using French plein-air techniques in his native Scotland. The dominance of sheep in his oeuvre led to his being given the nickname "Frozen Mutton Farquharson ". Having found a successful idiom, Farquharson exploited its commercial appeal, with repeated large-print editions of his works produced by firms such as Frost and Reed. Academic recognition followed commercial success with his appointment as an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1900 and an Academician in 1915.