Cows and Sheep

Warm tones of earthy ochre and terracotta set the scene. Balanced and harmonious, these animals are in a quiet moment of rest. The protective pose of the standing cow suggests a tender relationship with the animal beneath, their gentle expressions and body language conveying trust and harmony. The sheep settled to the left are similarly docile, their quietness mirrored in the still landscape beyond, where the silhouette of a mountainous peak breaks the horizon.

Originally thought to be by the Dutch Italianate artist Aelbert Cuyp (1620-91), this painting is in fact a work by Abraham van Calraet (1642-1722). Both artists share the same initials and Van Calraet often portrayed similar themes to Cuyp, under whom he studied. The modest size of this painting would have made it ideal decoration for an equally modest-sized domestic interior. Depictions of cattle and husbandry were popular with the growing Dutch middle class of the late seventeenth century. Following Dutch independence in 1648, dairy cattle came to symbolise the wealth and strength of the new nation. Standing firm and protective, the cow in this painting is emblematic of the stability of the Dutch Republic.