ARTWORKS

A Horseman with a Cowherd and Two Boys in a Meadow, and Seven Cows

Aelbert Cuyp (1620–1691)

The National Gallery, London

A Horseman with a Cowherd and Two Boys in a Meadow, and Seven Cows

Image credit: The National Gallery, London

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We're looking at a landscape in the Low Countries, probably the flatlands between Nijmegen and Cleves in the eastern part of the Netherlands, which Cuyp had visited in the early 1650s. But the golden light, and that implied heat, is more reminiscent of southern Europe than the north. It was a combination which became fashionable in Holland during the seventeenth century, when Dutch artists who had trained and worked in Italy returned home to ply their trade.

Cuyp never visited Italy but he was influenced by his contemporaries who had, and made this lighting effect a trademark of his paintings. With the warm glow also comes a sense of harmony. Man and beast are living peacefully together, the animals dutifully subservient to their masters. The cowherd and horseman also seem to chat easily, even though one – the man riding the horse – is probably of a significantly higher social status.

The National Gallery, London

London

Read more on The National Gallery, London
Title

A Horseman with a Cowherd and Two Boys in a Meadow, and Seven Cows

Date

probably about 1655-60

Medium

Oil on canvas

Measurements

H 80 x W 106 cm

Accession number

NG822

Acquisition method

Bought, 1871

Work type

Painting

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The National Gallery, London

Trafalgar Square, London, Greater London WC2N 5DN England

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Artist or maker

Aelbert Cuyp

1620–1691

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