Two Cows, Seen from Behind
1650
Paulus Potter, a Dutch prodigy who died tragically at just 27, is best known for his massive masterpiece 'The Young Bull,' but this charming sketch shows his lighter side. Created around 1650 during the Baroque period, it captures two cows in a candid moment—one resting peacefully while the other turns its backside squarely toward the viewer, almost as if posing for a rear-view portrait. Potter uses incredibly fine lines to render the coarse hair and muscular forms, proving he found beauty in the mundane, rustic life of the Dutch countryside just as much as in grand compositions.
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