The Dairy Cow: The Dutch Provinces, Revolting against the Spanish King Philip II, Are Led by Prince William of Orange, The States General Entreat Queen Elizabeth I for Aid

The painting is held by the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where it is recorded as inventory number SK-C-1890.

It was first documented in the museum’s collection in 1890 as part of the Dutch national holdings. The work has not been recorded in major loan exhibitions in recent decades, and no exhibition history beyond its permanent display at the Rijksmuseum is documented.

The oil painting titled The Dairy Cow: The Dutch Provinces, Revolting against the Spanish King Philip II, Are Led by Prince William of Orange, The States General Entreat Queen Elizabeth I for Aid presents a bustling tableau centered on a bovine figure. A rider atop the cow brandishes a staff, while a mixture of kneeling and standing figures surround the animal, including a veiled woman in white and an armored man. The composition is set against an unadorned backdrop, with an explanatory caption rendered in early modern English above the scene.

Created during a time of intense conflict between the Spanish Habsburgs and the rebelling Dutch provinces, the image reflects the broader European struggle over religious and political authority. The reference to Queen Elizabeth I underscores England’s strategic interest in weakening Spanish power, a theme echoed in contemporary pamphlets, diplomatic correspondence, and other visual media.