Landscape with Cattle by Anthonie van Borssum

Time is at a standstill in this rustic scene. A sedate group of cattle have paused to drink from a shallow expanse of standing water, the gentle ripples around their legs and still reflections suggesting a moment of calm. The small herd forms a thoughtfully arranged composition, with blocks of black, rust, tan, cream and grey carefully allocated to create balance and harmony. Playful, everyday details inject life into this understated scene, from the two birds perched on the back of the farthest cow, to the animals’ individualised expressions – not least the black and white cow who shows their teeth, almost in a smile. Although they are difficult to make out due to the painting’s condition, imaginative details continue to weave back through the expansive landscape beyond, from the glint of the dog’s collar, revealed as it turns away, to the horseman dressed in a red cloak, making his way across the distant plain where sheep graze. A dovecote stands in front of the thatched cottage, where roosting birds are indicated by tiny specs, and the faint figure of a man with a rake can be seen at the field’s edge.

This is a rare work from Dutch landscape painter Anthonie van Borssum (1631-77). Often compared to Paulus Potter (1625-54), who specialised in small-scale animal studies, Borssum was a prolific draughtsman but not a productive painter, with only five known signed works. His drawing skills and time spent observing and sketching from life are evident in the natural rendering of the cattle in this large-scale work. This painting has suffered from overcleaning in the past, abrading the surface to reveal the red ground of the canvas beneath and bringing back the ghostly outlines, known as pentimenti, of two additional cows between the main herd and the dog.