Artwork
Recumbent Cow
Recumbent Cow is an ink print by the Baroque artist Adriaen van de Velde. It dates from 1657 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Adriaen van de Velde’s *Recumbent Cow* is a small-scale etching executed in 1657. The print presents a tranquil rural scene in which two cattle rest on a patch of grass beneath an expansive sky. Rendered in fine, intersecting lines, the image balances a sense of stillness with the subtle texture of fur and foliage, characteristic of van de Velde’s delicate compositional approach.
Subject & Meaning
The work focuses on two cows lying side by side, an everyday motif that underscores the pastoral serenity of the Dutch countryside. By isolating the animals in a simple landscape, van de Velde invites contemplation of the quiet rhythms of farm life, while the open sky above suggests a broader, timeless setting.
Technique & Style
Created by incising a copper plate with a needle and acid, the etching technique yields the sketchy, densely worked lines that define the animals’ coats and the surrounding vegetation. Van de Velde’s handling of line conveys texture without heavy shading, aligning the piece with the Dutch Italianate tradition that merged local agrarian subjects with a softened, idealized atmosphere.
History & Provenance
Born and baptized in Amsterdam in 1636, van de Velde worked there until his death in 1672. *Recumbent Cow* was produced early in his career, during a period when he was establishing his reputation for landscape and animal studies. The print has passed through several European collections, most recently documented in a 19th‑century Dutch print cabinet.
Context
The etching belongs to a broader movement of mid‑17th‑century Dutch artists who incorporated Italianate light and compositional balance into familiar rural scenes. Van de Velde’s focus on animals reflects the era’s interest in naturalism and the symbolic value of livestock as emblems of prosperity and pastoral virtue.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen van de Velde, was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, and print artist. His favorite subjects were landscapes with animals and genre scenes. He also painted beaches, dunes, forests, winter scenes, portraits in…
