Milking-time
Nicolaes Berchem transports us to a sun-drenched, idealized Italian countryside, even though this Dutch master likely spent most of his life in the Netherlands. In this peaceful pastoral scene, a woman kneels to milk a sturdy brown cow while a relaxed herdsman leans casually on its back, pipe in hand. Surrounding them are a donkey and fluffy sheep, all resting beneath a gnarled tree against a vast, cloudy sky. Berchem was famous for these 'Italianate' landscapes, creating a romanticized vision of the south that was incredibly popular with wealthy Dutch collectors who dreamed of the Grand Tour.
- Technique
- oil painting
Views: 5