Liggende koeien in een weiland 1848 - 1888

This is a drawing of "Liggende koeien in een weiland", or "Lying Cows in a Meadow", by Anton Mauve, housed in the Rijksmuseum. The composition, divided across two pages of a sketchbook, presents a study in contrasts. On one side, the cows are rendered with sharper, more defined lines amidst a sketchier landscape, while on the other, the forms are softer, blending into the background. Notice how the horizon line is implied, not strictly defined, allowing the eye to wander and piece together the scene. Mauve's use of line is particularly striking. It varies from quick, energetic scribbles suggesting movement and texture, to slower, more deliberate contours outlining the shape of the animals. This approach to form and space invites us to consider how Mauve understood the relationship between the object and its environment. It pushes the boundaries of traditional landscape drawing toward something more fluid and subjective, reflecting a modern sensibility of capturing not just what is seen, but how it is felt.