Farm Landscape with Hunters and Milkmaids
1622
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1622
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Farm Landscape with Hunters and Milkmaids is a 1622 ink by Schelte Adams Bolswert, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This engraving shows a busy farm scene with cows grazing by a stream, milkmaids tending to them, and hunters in the background. Trees line the riverbank, and a small house sits near the water’s edge. The sky is dark with clouds, while the ground is dotted with animals and people going about their work. Notice the mix of daily chores—milking, herding, and even a dog resting by the stream. The artist used fine lines to show texture in the trees and animals, making everything look detailed yet soft. This is an example of etching, a technique where the artist scratches into a metal plate to create the image.
