Evening landscape with cattle and with peasants dancing to the sound of a pipe

Paulus Potter 1625 - 1654

Summary

Potter's interest in observing animal behaviour led him to paint small-scale landscapes that focused on farm animals as a subject, rather than as incidentals in the landscape. Here peasants are seen in harmony with their livestock and the land as they dance to the sound of a pipe. Potter imbues his scene with the glow of a Mediterranean sun and the distant mountains evoke the landscape of Italy. Potter did not travel much further than The Hague or Amsterdam, so he probably drew inspiration from Dutch Italianate painters such as Johannes Lingelbach.

Display Label

Evening Landscape with Dancing Peasants 1649 Paulus Potter 1625-54 Oil on panel Ever since the time of the ancient Greeks, writers and artists have expressed the desire to escape to the peace of the countryside. The modern commuter might find it unbelievable that this longing was prevalent in the 17th century, but Dutch cities were becoming increasingly crowded and their inhabitants longed fresh air and open spaces. Paulus Potter painted pastoral idylls which appealed to city dwellers. He was influenced by paintings of Italy where the dream of a rural paradise had never quite died out and Claude was the current master. Assheton - Bennett bequest 1979.493