Koemelkende vrouw c. 1756 - 1797

"Koemelkende vrouw" (Milkmaid) is a small drawing in black chalk by the Dutch artist Hendrik Willem Schweickhardt, dated to sometime between 1756 and 1797. The drawing depicts a woman in the act of milking a cow. The woman is seated on a stool with her back to the viewer. The cow stands before her, its back and head visible, and is drawn in detail. The drawing, in its simple composition, focuses on the task at hand: the act of milking, a common occurrence in the rural life of the time, and is a good example of Schweickhardt's early works. The drawing is currently housed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam.