Cattle in Water c. 18th century

"Cattle in Water" is a c. 18th-century drawing by Dutch Golden Age artist Aelbert Cuyp. The piece depicts a group of cattle standing in a shallow body of water, their forms rendered with a loose and gestural style using brown and gray washes. The drawing is a study for a larger composition, revealing Cuyp's interest in capturing the natural world through quick sketches. The painting’s atmospheric quality, with the soft light and fluffy clouds, is characteristic of his later landscapes. This small-scale drawing offers insight into the artistic process of Cuyp, one of the most renowned landscape painters of the Dutch Golden Age.