Landschap met vee en een melkmeid

About this artwork

collector's mark: Lugt 2760

Art Historical Context

**Landschap met ve en een melkmeid (Landscape with Cattle and a Milkmaid) is a delicate etching by Dutch artist Jan van Noordt (162–1676), created sometime between 1644 and1676. Measuring just 111 mm high by 174 mm wide, this print captures a serene pastoral scene typical of the Golden Age. Van Noordt, known for his landscapes and genre scenes, depicts a milkmaid tending cattle amid rolling countryside, evoking the idealized rural life that captivated 17th-century Dutch viewers amid their prosperous mercantile society. As an etching, the work showcases van Noordt's mastery of intaglio printmaking, where acid etches intricate lines into a metal plate for richly textured reproductions. This technique allowed artists like him to distribute affordable, detailed images beyond paintings, democratizing art for collectors and homes. The small scale suggests it was designed for albums or personal study, highlighting etching's role in artistic experimentation during the Baroque era. Bearing the collector's mark Lugt 2760—evidence of esteemed provenance—this piece reflects the enduring appeal of Dutch landscapes. It invites us to appreciate how van Noordt blended everyday labor with poetic harmony, a hallmark of Golden Age artistry that celebrated nature's quiet beauty.