Drie koeien en twee herders 1647 - 1674

Jan van Ossenbeeck made this drawing, "Three Cows and Two Herders," using pen and brown ink. Notice how the composition is anchored by the large forms of the resting cows in the foreground. The artist's technique here is quite revealing. Ossenbeeck uses line—varying its weight and density—to create a sense of volume and texture. Consider the way the short, repetitive strokes mimic the rough coat of the cattle. The linear structure also defines the horizon. The landscape, though secondary, is equally important. The receding plains, rendered with light, airy strokes, establish depth and space. The placement of the herders is strategic; their figures are deliberately diminutive, underscoring the dominance of nature. What could be a pastoral scene is rendered with a certain analytical precision, a quality that reflects the emerging scientific curiosity of the time. It invites an understanding of the natural world not merely as idyllic, but also as a subject of study and observation.