Peasants and Cattle by the River Merwede

Two cowherds and their cattle stand in the low sunlight by the river Merwede. A horseman has just passed by. In the distance, we can see the ruins of Huis te Merwede, a little outside the city of Dordrecht.

Cuyp specialised in this sort of landscape with animals bathed in a warm glow. This lighting effect was the trademark of artists who painted Italianate landscapes. Cuyp adopted their technique in his landscapes, which are otherwise unmistakeably Dutch.