Study of a lying cow

About this artwork

In the heart of the Dutch Golden Age, Paulus Potter this intimate *Study of a Lying Cow* around 1650, using delicate black chalk on a tiny sheet measuring just 6.5 × 7.5 cm. Potter (1625–1654), a prodigy of animal painting, was renowned for his meticulous depictions of livestock, capturing their serene majesty amid the pastoral landscapes of 17th-century Holland. drawing, now in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, exemplifies his preparatory sketches—quick yet profound studies that informed his larger oil masterpieces. The medium of black chalk allowed Potter to achieve subtle tonal modeling, rendering the cow's soft fur, relaxed musculature, and gentle curve of its body with lifelike precision. A later framing line in pen and brown ink enhances its presentation, a common practice for preserving such gems. Cows held cultural weight in Dutch society, symbolizing agricultural prosperity and the dairy trade that fueled the era's economic boom. This modest study reveals Potter's genius for anatomy and texture, bridging studio practice with the era's delight in realistic nature. Visitors will appreciate how such small works fueled the Golden Age's celebration of everyday rural life, inviting us to pause and admire the humble beauty of a resting bovine.