Lot 1508 D α

This large format landscape was painted by Jacob Salomonsz. van Ruysdael, the son of Salomon van Ruysdael who was responsible for popularising this motif of cows at the watering hole in Netherlandish landscape painting. The composition is based on the conventions established by his father, with a shepherd in the centre leading his herd to water. Several animals are shown following the path that winds into the background of the work, and the scene is bracketed by large repoussoir trees. As was customary in Netherlandish landscapes since around the 1620s, the horizon is set very low, leaving room for a generous stretch of sky and clouds above.