Who created "The Donkey Led to the River"?

The Donkey Led to the River was created by Herman van Swanevelt in 1551 to 1600.

When was "The Donkey Led to the River" created?

This artwork was created 1551 to 1600.

What medium is "The Donkey Led to the River"?

The Donkey Led to the River is etching.

Is "The Donkey Led to the River" in the public domain?

Yes, The Donkey Led to the River is in the public domain and available for free download under CC0 license.

The Donkey Led to the River

Herman van Swanevelt

1551 to 1600

Medium

etching

Classification

Department

CG-E

Museum

National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

Credit

Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund

Accession Number

1973.32.85

Art Historical Context

Herman van Swanevelt's *The Donkey Led to River*, created between 1551 and 1600, captures a timeless pastoral scene through the delicate art of etching. This Dutch artist's print evokes the proverb "you can lead a donkey to water, but you can't make it," blending everyday wisdom with landscape elements typical of Northern European art during the late Renaissance. Acquired through the Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund for the National Gallery of Art's Department of Prints (CG-E), it exemplifies how 16th-century works bridged moral fables and natural observation. Etching, the medium here, revolutionized ...

About the Artist

Herman van Swanevelt · 1603–1655

Herman van Swanevelt (1603–1655) was a leading Dutch Baroque painter, draughtsman, and etcher, celebrated for his luminous Italianate landscapes that bridged the classical ideals of Rome with the emerging naturalism of the Dutch Golden Age. Born in Woerden, near Utrecht, to a family of artisans whose lineage traced back to the renowned Lucas van Leyden, Swanevelt's early life and training remain s...

The Donkey Led to the River

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