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The Cattle Ferry
Also titled Het ponteveer
Nicolaes Pietersz Berchem (Haarlem, 1620–1683)
c. 1655
- Medium
- canvas, oil paint (paint)
- Classification
- painting
- Dimensions
- depth 10.5 cm
- Museum
- Rijksmuseum
- Rights
- Public Domain Mark, as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Tweens profiles and older: its subjects are known and suit older children. How works are placed
About this work
The ferry crossing is a hive of activity. Our attention is grabbed by the urinating grey horse at right, its rider giving orders with her outstretched arm. At centre a shepherd rearranges the load on his mule, while his dog barks loudly. By cleverly manipulating light, Berchem enhanced the accumulation of motifs that fill his compositions: even in the shadows, highlighted details spring to the eye.
