Landscape with a Cow

Landscape with a Cow is a quintessential print created by Rembrandt van Rijn in 1650. This intimate piece showcases the artist's profound technical skill in the challenging mediums of etching and drypoint, methods he perfected during the Dutch period of 1601 to 1650. Rijn utilized etching for the foundational outlines and then enhanced the image using drypoint, pressing a needle directly into the copper plate to create burr that yields rich, velvety lines when printed. This combination of techniques allowed the artist to achieve remarkable texture and tonal variation in his prints.

The subject matter is characteristic of the burgeoning trend toward realistic landscape art during the Dutch Golden Age. Unlike Rijn’s more dramatic compositions, this work focuses on a seemingly humble, pastoral scene. The titular cow is positioned centrally yet passively, anchoring a vast, expansive landscape rendered through delicate gradations of shadow and light. Rijn’s mastery is evident in the subtle rendering of atmosphere and distance, emphasizing the flat, watery geography of the Netherlands. The quiet introspection and focus on ordinary life distinguish this piece within the artist's extensive graphic output.

The technical brilliance demonstrated in Landscape with a Cow solidified Rijn’s reputation as one of history's greatest printmakers. His dedication to capturing shifting light and texture distinguishes his efforts from other contemporary Dutch masters. This important masterwork, demonstrating the heights of 17th-century graphic arts, resides within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art. Thanks to the legacy of this celebrated artist, many of his later prints and studies are now accessible through public domain collections, ensuring continued appreciation and scholarship of Rijn’s enduring artistic contribution.