Herder en herderin met hun kudde rustend bij water 18th century

This 18th-century anonymous watercolor depicts a shepherdess kneeling and milking a cow in a field, with other cows grazing in the background. The scene is set against a backdrop of lush greenery and a bright, open sky. The artist's skillful use of light and shadow creates a sense of depth and realism, characteristic of the Dutch Golden Age artistic tradition. This small-scale work, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, is a captivating example of the genre of pastoral painting, which often celebrated the simple beauty of nature and rural life.