Artwork
Landscape with sheperd, sheperdess and cattle
Landscape with sheperd, sheperdess and cattle is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Willem Ossenbeeck. It dates from 1632 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Technique & Style
The work measures 49 cm in height and 65 cm in width, adhering to the traditional format for Dutch landscape paintings of the early 17th century.
Willem Ossenbeeck executed Landscape with shepherd, shepherdess and cattle in 1632 using oil paint applied to a panel support. The work measures 49 cm in height and 65 cm in width, adhering to the traditional format for Dutch landscape paintings of the early 17th century. Stylistically, the composition is classified as a landscape painting that prominently features arboreal elements within the scene.
The handling of the medium on the rigid panel surface captures the pastoral subjects, including figures and cattle, consistent with the artist's output during this period.
History & Provenance
Willem Ossenbeeck created the oil-on-panel painting Landscape with shepherd, shepherdess and cattle in 1632. The work measures 49 cm in height and 65 cm in width. Prior to its acquisition by the Rijksmuseum, the painting was owned by Arnoldus Andries des Tombe.
The piece depicts a pastoral scene featuring a tree, a shepherd, a shepherdess, and cattle, consistent with Ossenbeeck's landscape genre.
Overview
Willem Ossenbeeck’s 1632 oil painting presents a tranquil rural scene. A shepherd and shepherdess sit together on a gentle rise, surrounded by a small herd of cattle. Distant trees and rolling hills frame the composition, establishing a calm, pastoral atmosphere that reflects the artist’s interest in everyday countryside life.
Subject & Meaning
The work centers on the quiet interaction between the two figures and their livestock, suggesting themes of harmony between humans and nature. The shared seated pose implies a moment of rest and companionship, while the presence of the herd underscores the shepherds’ role in guiding and protecting the animals within the landscape.
Context
Ossenbeeck worked during a period when Dutch artists increasingly depicted everyday rural life, moving away from grand historical subjects. This painting aligns with that trend, offering a glimpse into the pastoral routines of the time and illustrating the broader cultural appreciation for the Dutch countryside in the early 1600s.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Dutch painter Willem Ossenbeeck worked in oils around the early 1600s. Two of his scenes on view here are Mercury and Io, a mythological tale turned into a quiet indoor drama, and Landscape with Shepherd, Shepherdess…
