Who painted Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers?

Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers was painted by Peter Paul Rubens in 1636-01-01.

Where can I see Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers?

Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers is held by Bode Museum.

What movement is Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers?

Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers is associated with Flemish Baroque painting.

Can I buy a print of Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers?

Museum-quality prints of Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers

Peter Paul Rubens , 1636

Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers is a paint painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Peter Paul Rubens. It dates from 1636 and is held in the collection of the Bode Museum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Through these elements, the work represents the intersection of agricultural labor and sport within the natural world.

The painting presents a landscape scene centered on rural and hunting activities. It depicts a forest setting where cattle are attended by a milkmaid, alongside a woman and a man. The human figures are integrated with the natural environment, emphasizing pastoral life.

Simultaneously, the composition incorporates the action of the wildfowlers, featuring a hound and shooting, which introduces the theme of hunting into the bucolic setting. Through these elements, the work represents the intersection of agricultural labor and sport within the natural world.

Technique & Style

Executed in oil on panel in 1636, the work measures 113 cm in height and 176.2 cm in width.

The handling combines fluent, atmospheric brushwork with carefully observed detail: broad, luminous skies and softly modulated foliage contrast with precise rendering of cattle and the hunters’ attire, yielding a balanced synthesis of idealized landscape and anecdotal incident. Rubens employs a warm, golden tonality, layering translucent glazes over a more opaque underdrawing to articulate recession and light.

The composition is organized along a diagonal axis that guides the eye from the milkmaid in the foreground through the cattle and wildfowlers toward the distant wooded horizon, creating a rhythmic movement across the panel.

History & Provenance

Peter Paul Rubens created the painting Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers in 1636. Executed in oil on panel, the work measures 113 cm in height and 176.2 cm in width. The piece depicts a forest scene populated by cattle, a milkmaid, hunters, and hounds.

Following its creation, the artwork entered the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin, where it is currently housed within the Bode Museum.

Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, located within the Bode Museum. The work, created in 1636, is executed in paint on panel and measures 113 cm in height by 176.2 cm in width. While the painting's current institutional home is clearly established, the provided records do not list a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. Furthermore, no details regarding its exhibition history are available in the current documentation.

Overview

Peter Paul Rubens, a prominent Flemish Baroque artist and diplomat, completed "Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers" in 1636. This painting, now housed in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, exemplifies his engagement with natural scenery. It depicts a tranquil rural vista featuring grazing cattle and distant hunters, showcasing his characteristic attention to dynamic composition and vibrant color, even within a seemingly serene setting, a departure from his more common historical or mythological subjects.

Context

As both an esteemed artist and an active diplomat, Peter Paul Rubens engaged with a wide range of subjects, from monumental history paintings to intimate portraits. "Landscape with Cows and Wildfowlers" reflects his sustained interest in landscape painting, a genre he pursued alongside his more famous commissions. This work illustrates how he applied his renowned stylistic vigor to natural settings, contributing to the rich tapestry of Flemish Baroque art and influencing subsequent generations of landscape painters.