Grazing Cow 1783

toned paper

pencil sketch

charcoal drawing

possibly oil pastel

oil painting

coloured pencil

underpainting

watercolour illustration

watercolor

warm toned green

Jacob Cats' "Grazing Cow" (1783), a detailed watercolor, depicts a single, large cow grazing in a meadow. The artist uses light and shadow to capture the animal's form and texture, highlighting its white and brown coat. The scene is set against a backdrop of a village in the distance and a wooden fence, creating a peaceful and idyllic portrayal of rural life. The artwork's meticulous detail and naturalistic style reflect the popularity of animal studies and genre scenes during the 18th century. "Grazing Cow" is a testament to Cats' talent and a valuable addition to the Rijksmuseum's collection.

Comments

rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

⋮

Jacob Cats greatly admired 17th-century cattle painters, such as Paulus Potter and Adriaen van de Velde. In this drawing he closely imitated his predecessors in this genre and observed the heavy, fleshy cow from a low vantage point. When making the black chalk study from which this finished watercolour was later derived, the artist probably sat in the grass, with a good view of the animal’s solid belly and udders.