1670
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Spotted Bull and Three Sheep is a 1670 ink by Adriaen van de Velde, a Baroque work, depicting Cattle, held at National Gallery of Art.
This etching shows a spotted bull standing in front of three sheep. The bull’s rough coat and the sheep’s woolly coats stand out against the paper’s soft gray background. The lines are light but clear, making every detail sharp. This is an unusual scene. Bulls and sheep don’t usually appear together in art. The artist made this with drypoint—a technique where he scratched lines straight into a metal plate with a needle. If you like this, look up Rembrandt’s etchings at the National Gallery of Art, Washington.
Adriaen van de Velde, was a Dutch painter, draughtsman, and print artist. His favorite subjects were landscapes with animals and genre scenes. He also painted beaches, dunes, forests, winter scenes, portraits in…
See the richer artist page
