Artwork
Farmyard in Winter
Farmyard in Winter is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Jacob Cats. It dates from 1786 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Farmyard in Winter is a 1786 drawing by Jacob Cats, a Dutch draughtsman, executed in pen and brown ink with gray wash and watercolor on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a serene winter scene of a rural farmyard, with people gathered near a house and a pig roaming in the yard, set against bare trees and a cloudy sky.
Technique & Style
Cats's use of pen, brown ink, and gray wash creates depth and texture, while watercolor adds warmth to the muted color palette, evoking quiet contemplation.
History & Provenance
Jacob Cats was born in 1741 in Altona to a Mennonite bookseller family and studied under Abraham Starre and Pieter Louw before working in the wallpaper industry and eventually focusing on draughtsmanship.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jacob Cats (1741–1799) was a Dutch draughtsman who also etched and painted. He was born at Altona in 1741 as the son of a Mennonite bookseller who had to flee Amsterdam because of a controversial publication. The family…
