Four Sheep and a Cow

c. 1652

Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem

Associated Names
Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem

Artist, Dutch, 1620 - 1683

This is a drawing of livestock arranged in a symmetrical composition. The drawing features cows, sheep, and goats depicted in red chalk. There are two large cows standing upright in the upper portion of the drawing, with their heads turned slightly to the side. Below them are multiple sheep, including two standing sheep near the center and two sitting sheep with curly horns at the bottom. There are goats positioned on either side of the cows, each facing outward. The use of line and shading creates a detailed rendering of the animals, emphasizing their fur and musculature. The overall effect is a balanced arrangement of rural life, captured with a classical drawing technique.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    red chalk on laid paper with counterproof

  • Credit Line

    Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall: 13 x 19.5 cm (5 1/8 x 7 11/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2002.141.1


Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Anonymous sale; (sale, Sotheby's Amsterdam, 14 November 1988, no. 137). (sale, Christie's London, 9 July 2002, no. 31); (Katrin Bellinger, Munich); purchased 2002 by NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

2016

  • Drawings for Paintings in the Age of Rembrandt, National Gallery of Art, Washington; Fondation Custodia, Collection Frits Lugt, Paris, 2016, no. 4

Wikidata ID

Q64618491

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