A Cow in a Shed

pen and brown ink, with brown wash and opaque white, on paper toned with light brown wash, c. 1640

This cow eating hay is effectively framed by the wall and roof of the shed and the wheelbarrow in the foreground. A 1656 inventory of Rembrandt’s possessions specifically mentions that he drew animals from life. Is this also the case for this stylized composition? The presence of the peasant at left, who looks straight out at the draughtsman, in fact suggests this.

Artwork typedrawing
Object numberRP-T-1930-59
Dimensionsheight 153 mm x width 182 mm
Physical characteristicspen en bruine inkt, met penseel en bruine inkt en witte dekverf, op lichtbruin gekleurd papier; kaderlijnen in bruine inkt

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Identification

Title(s)
A Cow in a Shed
Object type
Object number
RP-T-1930-59
Description
This cow eating hay is effectively framed by the wall and roof of the shed and the wheelbarrow in the foreground. A 1656 inventory of Rembrandt’s possessions specifically mentions that he drew animals from life. Is this also the case for this stylized composition? The presence of the peasant at left, who looks straight out at the draughtsman, in fact suggests this.
Part of catalogue
Catalogue reference
Schatborn 15

Creation

Creation
draughtsman: Rembrandt van Rijn, Amsterdam
Dating
c. 1640
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Material and technique

Physcial description
pen en bruine inkt, met penseel en bruine inkt en witte dekverf, op lichtbruin gekleurd papier; kaderlijnen in bruine inkt
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height 153 mm x width 182 mm

This work is about

Subject

Exhibitions

Acquisition and rights

Credit line
Gift of C. Hofstede de Groot, The Hague
Acquisition
gift 1906
Ownership
Copyright
Public domain
Provenance
...; collection Dionys Muilman (1702-72), Amsterdam;{According to an inscription on the drawing.} ? his sale, Amsterdam (J. de Bosch Jerzn et al.), 29 March 1773 sqq., possibly in Album X, nos. 1595-1611 (`Waarin verscheide Tekeningen´); ...; collection Heneage Finch, 5th Earl of Aylesford (1786-1859), London (L. 58); ? his sale, London (Christie´s), 17 (18) July 1893 sqq., possibly no. 254 (`Various Sketches, in pen and ink´), £1.5.0, to Sir John Charles Robinson (1824-1913), London;{Copy RKD.} ...; purchased from Paul Mathey (1844-1929), Paris, with three other drawings, through the mediation of the dealer P. Roblin (?1853-1908), Paris, by Dr Cornelis Hofstede de Groot (1863-1930), The Hague, 1903;{Hofstede de Groot notes, KB.} by whom donated to the museum, 1906, but kept in usufruct; transferred to the museum (L. 2228), 1930

Documentation

Schatborn 15

Persistent URL

To refer to this object, please use the following persistent URL:
https://id.rijksmuseum.nl/200117720