# Cow beside a Ditch

- By: Willem Maris (The Hague, 1844–1910)
- Date: c. 1885 - c. 1895
- Medium: canvas, oil paint (paint)
- Classification: painting
- Dimensions: height 65 cm x width 81 cm
- Credit line: Gift of the heirs of W.J. van Randwijk, The Hague
- Museum: [Rijksmuseum](https://www.rijksmuseum.nl/en/collection/object/SK-A-2706--0c41db5fa904146a3146a0f60ec20c42)
- Rights: [Public Domain Mark](http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/)
- Picture: https://iiif.micr.io/ZSMJQ/full/!1920,1080/0/default.jpg
- Who can see it: Little Ones profiles and older (museums give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the museum's own words)

It is a sweltering summer day in a polder landscape in Holland. Willem Maris caused a furore with this subject matter. Already in the 17th century, artists found a scene such as this – of a cow cooling off in the water – picturesque. Maris succeeded in rendering the natural fall of light on the cow by modelling its coat in alternating thick and thin brushstrokes.