Artwork
A Goat with her Kid
A Goat with her Kid is an unspecified painting by the Realist artist Unknown. It dates from 1890 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
The artist isn’t known, but the brushwork is careful, especially in the soft fur and the way light hits the grass.
A white goat stands in tall grass, nursing her tiny kid. The kid’s front legs are bent, head buried in her side.
This painting was made for a farmer’s almanac in 1890. It’s not meant to be grand—just a quiet moment from daily life. The artist isn’t known, but the brushwork is careful, especially in the soft fur and the way light hits the grass.
If you like this, explore more animal scenes at the Rijksmuseum.
Overview
The work, titled “A Goat with her Kid,” is a modest oil painting dating from 1890. It portrays a white goat standing amid tall grass while nursing its small offspring, whose front legs are folded and head tucked against the mother’s side. The scene captures a tranquil, everyday moment rather than a staged composition.
Subject & Meaning
The image focuses on the intimate bond between the mother goat and her kid, emphasizing nurturing and the rhythms of rural life. By presenting the animals in a natural setting, the painting reflects the simplicity of farmstead existence and the quiet cycles of care that sustain it.
Technique & Style
Although the artist remains unidentified, the handling of paint reveals meticulous attention to texture. The fur of the goat is rendered with soft, layered strokes, while the surrounding grass is depicted with delicate highlights that suggest the play of daylight. The overall palette is restrained, reinforcing the work’s understated tone.
History & Provenance
Created specifically for a farmer’s almanac, the piece served an illustrative purpose rather than a decorative one. Its origin in a practical publication underscores its role as a visual record of agrarian life in the late nineteenth century. The painting has since entered the Rijksmuseum’s collection, where it is displayed among other animal genre works.
Artist & collection
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Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
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Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
