Artwork
The cattle ferry
The cattle ferry is an oil painting. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
Stylistically, the work adapts Berchem’s Italianate motifs, rolling hills, leafy trees, and placid animals, into a cohesive, gently idealized scene.
The painting is executed in oil on canvas, following a composition derived from Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem’s The Cattle Ferry. The support measures 80.5 cm in height and 105 cm in width.
The handling aligns with mid-18th-century Dutch pastoral traditions, emphasizing smooth modeling and controlled brushwork to render the cattle, ferryboat, and surrounding landscape. Stylistically, the work adapts Berchem’s Italianate motifs, rolling hills, leafy trees, and placid animals, into a cohesive, gently idealized scene. The palette relies on earthy ochres and greens, with restrained highlights to articulate form without excessive contrast.
History & Provenance
Created in 1750, this oil painting on canvas is an anonymous copy based on an original work by Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem titled The Cattle Ferry. The artwork measures 80.5 cm in height and 105 cm in width.
While the specific commission details and the full chain of ownership prior to its current location are not detailed in the available records, the piece is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Context
The painting known as The Cattle Ferry was created in 1750 by an anonymous artist following a composition by Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem. Executed in oil on canvas, it measures 80.5 cm by 105 cm and depicts a horse and a tree.
The work belongs to the Rijksmuseum collection in Amsterdam and is categorized as a painting from the mid-18th century. Its subject matter and stylistic elements align with Dutch landscape traditions of the period, situating it within the broader artistic milieu of 18th-century Dutch art.
Scholarly attention to the work is documented through its inclusion in the Rijksmuseum's holdings and its attribution to a copy of Berchem's composition, reflecting ongoing interest in its provenance and artistic context.
Overview
The Cattle Ferry is an oil painting depicting a serene, everyday scene at a riverbank during sunset. The composition is characterized by a group of people guiding cows and horses across a wooden bridge, set against a backdrop of a solitary tree, distant buildings, and a sky with soft, fluffy clouds illuminated by warm, golden light.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures a mundane moment of rural life, emphasizing the ordinary rather than the extraordinary. The focus on the collective movement of animals and people across the bridge conveys a sense of daily routine and communal activity.
Legacy
While specific impact on later artists is not detailed here, the painting's themes and techniques (notably its chiaroscuro) invite viewers to explore similar works in the broader context of European painting traditions that value light and everyday life as central themes.
Artist & collection
