Artwork
Two Sheep, One Pissing
Two Sheep, One Pissing is a print by the Baroque artist Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem. It dates from 1652 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:upper right in plate: a; lower left and right in plate: 6; by later hand, upper left verso, in graphite: DC 311; by later hand, lower margin verso, in graphite: B46 VII/8
About this work
Overview
Two Sheep, One Pissing is a 1652 print by Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem, a Dutch Golden Age artist known for his landscapes.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts two sheep in a grassy field, one lifting its leg, capturing a mundane moment with a touch of humor. The scene is set against a backdrop of bushes and trees, rendered in loose, sketchy lines.
Technique & Style
Berchem's work blends naturalistic detail with romanticized rural imagery, characteristic of the Dutch Italianate landscape style. The print's simple, everyday subject matter reflects his interest in genre scenes.
History & Provenance
Berchem was born in 1620 and belonged to the second generation of Dutch Italianate landscape painters, who drew inspiration from Italy's classical ruins and pastoral scenes.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolaes Pieterszoon Berchem (1 October 1620 – 18 February 1683) was a highly esteemed and prolific Dutch Golden Age painter of pastoral landscapes, populated with mythological or biblical figures, but also of a number of allegories and…
