Waterdraagster en een koe c. 1862 - 1864

"Waterdraagster en een koe" (Water Carrier and a Cow) is a sketch created by Johannes Tavenraat around 1862-1864. The piece, currently housed in the Rijksmuseum, showcases Tavenraat's interest in capturing everyday scenes. This quick study likely served as a preparatory work for a larger painting, capturing the form of a woman carrying water and a cow in a simple, yet expressive manner. The gestural lines and loose composition are characteristic of Tavenraat's style. Though the piece is incomplete, it reveals Tavenraat's keen eye for observation and ability to capture a moment in time with a few strokes of his pen.