Drinkende koe

About this artwork

Herders en herderinnen rusten met hun vee bij een beek in een rotslandschap. Twee koeien, een geit en twee schapen staan in ondiep water voor een vervallen monument met een reliëf. De titel dankt de prent aan de koe met de snuit waar het water van afdruipt.

Art Historical Context

Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem’s etching *Drinkende koe* (Drinking Cow), created between 1681 and 1700, captures a tranquil pastoral moment in a rocky Italianate landscape. Herdsmen and women rest beside a stream while their animals—two cows, a goat, and two sheep—stand in shallow water. The scene centers on a cow lifting its dripping snout, giving the print its title, with the group positioned before a crumbling classical monument adorned with a relief. Measuring 279 by 372 millimeters, the work exemplifies Berchem’s skill in blending Dutch realism with the idealized light and ruins of the Roman countryside. Berchem, a leading figure of the Dutch Golden Age, was renowned for his Italianate landscapes that transported viewers to sunlit southern settings. Although he died in 1683, etchings such as this one continued to circulate, reflecting the era’s fascination with classical antiquity and harmonious nature. The medium of etching allowed fine detail and wide distribution, making such idyllic visions accessible beyond the walls of private collections. The composition’s gentle contrast between living creatures and weathered stone invites quiet reflection on time and transience, themes that resonated with seventeenth-century audiences. Through delicate linework, Berchem transforms an ordinary moment of animals drinking into a timeless meditation on pastoral peace.