Landscape with a Mounted Herdsman and Cows, a City in the Background 1625 - 1652

Jan Both created this landscape drawing with a mounted herdsman and cows, using pen and brown wash on paper. The sepia wash, applied with varying degrees of dilution, defines the scene’s tonal range and atmospheric perspective. This approach to the landscape genre has its own significance, reflecting the economy of pastoral life. Look closely, and you'll see that it has been achieved with an economy of means too: the ink and paper are inexpensive, and applied with quick, deft strokes. There is a clear connection between the way the picture is made and the subject that it depicts. The artist seems less concerned with the painstaking detail, opting instead for an impressionistic rendering that captures the essence of a fleeting moment, emphasizing the immediacy and directness of the drawing process. In doing so, Both elevates a humble scene, reflecting the dignity of rural life. The work transcends its material simplicity to offer a glimpse into a world where labor and nature intertwine.