Artwork
Shepherd with Sheep
Shepherd with Sheep is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Cornelis Albert van Assendelft. It dates from 1922 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
These formal qualities underscore the artist’s focus on everyday rural subjects rendered with technical precision and restrained palette.
The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, reflecting a straightforward genre scene of pastoral life. Van Assendelft’s handling emphasizes naturalistic rendering of the shepherd and flock, with attention to texture in the wool and earth tones that convey a quiet, rural atmosphere. The composition balances figure and landscape through careful spatial placement and subtle chiaroscuro, characteristic of early twentieth-century Dutch realist tendencies.
These formal qualities underscore the artist’s focus on everyday rural subjects rendered with technical precision and restrained palette.
History & Provenance
Shepherd with Sheep is an oil painting on canvas created in 1922 by Cornelis Albert van Assendelft. The work measures 56 cm in height and 79 cm in width. It entered the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display.
The painting was executed during van Assendelft's mature period and reflects his focus on pastoral genre scenes. Its provenance is limited to its acquisition and continued ownership by the Rijksmuseum since its creation.
Shepherd with Sheep is held in the Rijksmuseum collection under inventory number SK-C-5. The work was painted in 1922 by Cornelis Albert van Assendelft and measures 56 cm by 79 cm.
The painting has been part of the Rijksmuseum's permanent display since its acquisition, forming part of the museum's ongoing presentation of Dutch genre scenes from the early 20th century.
Overview
Shepherd with Sheep is a 1922 oil painting by Cornelis Albert van Assendelft, currently part of the Rijksmuseum's collection. The work depicts a serene scene of a shepherd guiding three sheep across a field.
Subject & Meaning
The painting showcases a everyday rural moment: a figure in dark attire herding sheep, emphasizing the simple, laborious aspects of pastoral life. The time of day is ambiguous, captured in a vibrant yellow sky suggestive of either dawn or dusk.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Cornelis Albert van Assendelft
Cornelis Albert van Assendelft (1870–1945) was an artist, born in Middelburg.
