Landschap met koeien, schapen en herderin, gewijzigde kopie naar een schilderij van Paulus Potter, de herderin gekopieerd van een schilderij van Karel Dujardin (recto); onvoltooid portret van een man (verso)

About this artwork

drager: hoogte 37 cm x breedte 46 cm

Art Historical Context

Created in 1761 by Swiss artist Jean-Étienne Liotard, this double-sided work on parchment offers a fascinating glimpse into 18th-century artistic practice. The recto presents a pastoral landscape featuring cows, sheep, and a shepherdess, thoughtfully adapted from paintings by the Dutch masters Paulus Potter and Karel Dujardin. Liotard’s version combines elements from both sources into a single, harmonious scene that celebrates the quiet beauty of rural life. Measuring 37 by 46 centimeters, the parchment support highlights Liotard’s versatility; although he is best known for his delicate pastel portraits, this piece demonstrates his skill with animal material as a drawing surface. The verso, left as an unfinished portrait of a man, reveals the artist’s working process and the personal nature of his studies. As a modified copy rather than an original composition, the work reflects the period’s respect for earlier Dutch Golden Age painters while showcasing Liotard’s interpretive touch. Today it resides in the Rijksmuseum, inviting visitors to appreciate both the finished landscape and the revealing glimpse of an artist’s studio practice on its reverse.

About the Artist

Jean-Etienne Liotard · 1692–1789

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