Artwork
Cows in the meadow
Cows in the meadow is an oil painting by the Barbizon school artist Gerard Bilders. It dates from 1861 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created in 1861, this oil painting portrays a tranquil rural landscape where several cows occupy a meadow beside a modest watercourse.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Classified as both a landscape and animal art, the work focuses on the naturalistic representation of livestock in their environment.
Gerard Bilders' 1861 oil painting depicts a pastoral landscape featuring cows situated within a meadow. Classified as both a landscape and animal art, the work focuses on the naturalistic representation of livestock in their environment. The composition utilizes the meadow setting to frame the animals, adhering to the conventions of 19th-century Dutch landscape painting where rural life and agriculture are central themes.
While the specific symbolic intent of the artist is not explicitly detailed in available records, the subject matter reflects a broader artistic interest in the serene aspects of the countryside and the integration of fauna within the natural terrain.
Technique & Style
The work was executed in oil paint on canvas, a standard support for 19th-century Dutch landscape painting. Measuring 47 cm by 70 cm, the composition emphasizes atmospheric light and naturalistic rendering of foliage and terrain, characteristic of the Romantic-influenced style of Gerard Bilders. The brushwork demonstrates careful modulation of tone to suggest depth and spatial recession, while the handling of pigment reflects a restrained yet expressive approach typical of the period. The painting’s condition appears stable, with no noted structural or surface issues reported in the documentation.
History & Provenance
Cows in the meadow is an 1861 oil painting by Gerard Bilders depicting a pastoral scene in the Dutch countryside. The work measures 47 cm × 70 cm and is executed in oil on canvas. It entered the collection of Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt before being acquired by the Rijksmuseum, where it remains on display.
The painting’s provenance is documented through Westerwoudt’s ownership, confirming its early private circulation prior to institutional acquisition. Its creation history is tied to Bilders’ activity in the mid‑19th‑century Dutch landscape tradition, with the date recorded as 1861 in the source.
The work is classified as a landscape genre piece and exemplifies animal‑focused pastoral art, reflecting the artist’s interest in rural scenes.
Cows in the meadow was created in 1861, as indicated by the inception date in the source data.
Cows in the meadow, painted by Gerard Bilders in 1861, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. The work was owned by Joannes Barnardus Antonius Maria Westerwoudt before entering the museum's holdings. No inventory or accession number is recorded in the available sources, and no exhibition history is documented.
The oil on canvas measures 47 cm in height by 70 cm in width.
Legacy
Gerard Bilders' 1861 oil painting Cows in the meadow entered the Rijksmuseum collection through the Westerwoudt family holdings and remains part of their permanent displays. The work's significance as an early example of Dutch animal art within the broader landscape tradition continues to inform scholarly assessments of 19th-century genre painting, though specific exhibition histories or direct influence on later artists are not documented in the available sources.
Overview
Created in 1861, this oil painting portrays a tranquil rural landscape where several cows occupy a meadow beside a modest watercourse. The composition balances resting animals with those moving through the grass, under a softly clouded sky and a solitary tree that anchors the right side of the scene. The overall atmosphere conveys a quiet, everyday moment in the countryside.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Albertus Gerardus "Gerard" Bilders (9 December 1838 – 8 March 1865) was a Dutch landscape painter, associated with some members of the Hague School, such as Anton Mauve and Willem Maris.
