Follower of Paulus Potter, s. XVIII.

Dutch school, 18th century.
Follower of PAULUS POTTER (Encusa, 1625 - Amsterdam, 1654).
"Landscape with Shepherds and Cows".
Oil on canvas.
Re-coloured.
It has repainting and slight damage to the frame.
Measurements: 36,5 x 32 cm; 48 x 43,5 cm (frame).
The wake of Paulus Potter is evident in this painting, both for the studied composition in which the animals occupy the foreground and for the successful anatomical representation of the cows drinking water from the lake or resting peacefully. The skilful framing stands out, with a composition whose aerial perspective has been worked in depth thanks to a thoughtful use of light. In the realistic rendering of the animals and the light, the painstaking observation of nature is evident.
Paulus Potter was a Dutch Baroque painter and engraver who specialised in animals and landscapes. He painted mainly landscapes and animals, with great attention to detail. In his landscapes, he preferred the scenery of the Dutch countryside with its meadows. He owes his fame above all to his paintings of animals, with goats, sheep and, above all, cows, in harmony with the surrounding nature. In fact, he is considered the founder of animal painting. Animals were no longer just another element of the decor, but the main motif of the painting. His most famous painting is The Bull (Young Bull or Young Steer), in Mauritshuis, The Hague. During the Romantic period of the 19th century it was a very popular painting. Potter studied painting with his father, Pieter Potter in Enkhuizen, who painted still lifes and landscapes. Paulus Potter joined the guild of Saint Luke, the Delft painters' guild, in 1646. He then moved to The Hague. It was not until 1646 that he became a member of the Painters' Guild of Saint Luke in Delft, although he lived mainly in The Hague, where he joined the Painters' Guild in 1649 and where he shared a residence with the painter Jan van Goyen for a number of years. There he enjoyed the patronage of important figures such as Amalia of Solms, John Maurice of Nassau and even some of Rembrandt's known patrons such as Nicolaes Tulp. His works had a notable influence on Dutch artists such as Karel Dujardin, Adriaen van de Velde and especially Albert Komp. His best works can be seen in the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. There are also paintings by him in the Louvre in Paris and in the Wallace Collection in London.