River Landscape with Cows – Aelbert Cuyp

Painting of cows in a landscape
Aelbert Cuyp (Dutch, 1620 – 1691), River Landscape with Cows, 1645/1650, oil on panel, Gift of Family Petschek (Aussig) 1986.70.1

This evening scene celebrates the peace and prosperity the Dutch were finally enjoying after 80 years of war with Spain. But don’t be fooled by its bucolic vibe. The backstory of its ownership is something straight out of Indiana Jones.

We’ll find out why the cow is a Dutch icon and the clever way one family screwed with the Nazis to keep this out of their hands.

SHOW NOTES

“A Long Look” theme is “Ascension” by Ron Gelinas

Episode theme is Sonata No. 15 in D Major Pastoral, Op. 28 – I. Allegro composed by Ludwig van Beethoven performed by Paul Pitman. Courtesy of musopen.org

River Landscape with Cows information
Arthur K. Wheelock Jr., “Aelbert Cuyp/River Landscape with Cows/1645/1650,” Dutch Paintings of the Seventeenth Century, NGA Online Editions (accessed August 27, 2018).

A Painting’s History: Cuyp’s River Landscape with Cows (video)

Slow Art Day http://www.slowartday.com

Recommended Reading

Paintings in the Dutch Golden Age (PDF)

The Embarrassment of Riches by Simon Schama

2 thoughts on “River Landscape with Cows – Aelbert Cuyp”

  1. A fascinating analysis of Cuyp’s River Landscape especially your comments about providing “safe haven, freedom, and opportunity for refugees.”
    Certainly a timely observation.

Comments are closed.