Aelbert Cuyp

Self-portrait as a boy, ca. 1650

Years of life:	1620 – 1691
Artist's Teachers:	Jacob Gerritsz Cuyp
Art Movement:	Baroque, Dutch Golden Age
Painting School:	Dutch School

Genre:	Portrait , Landscape , Marine art , Animalistics
Country:	Netherlands
Century:	XVII

The son of a painter. Cuyp married a wealthy widow in 1658 and neglected his art. He produced several charming Dordrecht, including riverscapes. Through light, he transformed his native Holland (primarily Dordrecht) into a fairy-tale world. His customers and collectors from patrician classes appreciated the qualities of his style, his sense of peace, clarity, and harmony with nature.

The sun’s rays illuminate the landscape, casting long, soft shadows (surprising how few definite shadows there are). Note how the golden light catches just the edges of trees, clouds, or animals, which is accomplished with highlights applied in thick pastel brushstrokes. He uses a warm, golden-brown palette contrasted with cool, silvery clouds and foliage. It is unclear whether it is morning or evening; discreet details, such as flying birds, may complement the painting.

Aelbert Cuyp’s major works are The Sea by Moonlight, c. 1648 (St. Petersburg: Hermitage Museum); Sunset after Rain, 1648–52 (Cambridge: Fitzwilliam Museum); A Distant View of Dordrecht with a Milkmaid and Four Cows, c. 1650 (London: National Gallery).

References:

Robert Cumming. Art: complete encyclopedia. – 512 p. – Moscow: Astrel, 2005.

Artworks:

Self-portrait as a boy

1650

Self-portrait as a boy • 1650
Evening Landscape with Horsemen and Shepherds

between 1655 and 1660

Evening Landscape with Horsemen and Shepherds • between 1655 and 1660
Equestrian Portrait of Cornelis (1639–1680) and Michiel Pompe van Meerdervoort (1638–1653) with Their Tutor and Coachman ("Starting for the Hunt")

1652 – 1653

Equestrian Portrait of Cornelis (1639–1680) and Michiel Pompe van Meerdervoort (1638–1653) with Their Tutor and Coachman ("Starting for the Hunt") • 1652 – 1653
Harbor of Dordrecht

1660

Harbor of Dordrecht • 1660
Fishing boats by moonlight

1650

Fishing boats by moonlight • 1650
Orpheus with Animals in a Landscape

1640

Orpheus with Animals in a Landscape • 1640
Avenue at Meerdervoort

between 1650 and 1652

Avenue at Meerdervoort • between 1650 and 1652
River Landscape with Horseman and Peasants

between 1655 and 1660

River Landscape with Horseman and Peasants • between 1655 and 1660
Ships Tossed in a Gale

1640s

Ships Tossed in a Gale • 1640s
Landscape near Rhenen

between 1650 and 1655

Landscape near Rhenen • between 1650 and 1655
Domefowl

second half of 17th century

Domefowl • second half of 17th century
The Negro Page

1652

The Negro Page • 1652
River Scene with Milking Woman

1646

River Scene with Milking Woman • 1646
Large River Landscape with Horsemen

1655

Large River Landscape with Horsemen • 1655
Young Herdsman with Cows

1655 – 1660

Young Herdsman with Cows • 1655 – 1660
View of Dordrecht

1665

View of Dordrecht • 1665
Sea: A View of Dordrecht

1650

Sea: A View of Dordrecht • 1650
Woman with big straw hat and basket of fruit

1640

Woman with big straw hat and basket of fruit • 1640
Interior of the Groote Kerk, Dordrecht

1660

Interior of the Groote Kerk, Dordrecht • 1660
Cattle in a Dutch Arcadian Landscape

1648–1650

Cattle in a Dutch Arcadian Landscape • 1648–1650
Mountainous landscape with the ruins of a castle.

between 1640 and 1650

Mountainous landscape with the ruins of a castle. • between 1640 and 1650
Landscape with Herdsmen and Cattle

From 1650 until 1660

Landscape with Herdsmen and Cattle • From 1650 until 1660
Signboard of a wineshop

between 1640 and 1650

Signboard of a wineshop • between 1640 and 1650
A senior merchant of the Dutch East India Company, presumably Jacob Mathieusen, and his wife

between 1640 and 1660

A senior merchant of the Dutch East India Company, presumably Jacob Mathieusen, and his wife • between 1640 and 1660
Landscape with cows and young herdsman

between 1650 and 1670

Landscape with cows and young herdsman • between 1650 and 1670
River landscape with cows

between 1640 and 1650

River landscape with cows • between 1640 and 1650
Young Herdsmen with Cows

between 1655 and 1660

Young Herdsmen with Cows • between 1655 and 1660
River Landscape with Cows

between 1645 and 1650

River Landscape with Cows • between 1645 and 1650
Horsemen and Herdsmen with Cattle

between 1655 and 1660

Horsemen and Herdsmen with Cattle • between 1655 and 1660
Rooster and Hens

1650

Rooster and Hens • 1650
Herdsmen with Cows

1645

Herdsmen with Cows • 1645
Peasants with Four Cows by the River Merwede

between 1658 and 1660

Peasants with Four Cows by the River Merwede • between 1658 and 1660
Landscape with three cows and a cowherd

1635 - 1691

Landscape with three cows and a cowherd • 1635 - 1691
Landscape with the Ruins of Rijnsburg Abbey, near Leiden

Between 1640 and 1642

Landscape with the Ruins of Rijnsburg Abbey, near Leiden • Between 1640 and 1642
Portrait of a Girl with Peaches

between 1650 and 1659

Portrait of a Girl with Peaches • between 1650 and 1659
Herdsmen Tending Cattle

between 1655 and 1660

Herdsmen Tending Cattle • between 1655 and 1660
Interior of a Cowshed

Unknown date

Interior of a Cowshed • Unknown date
Riders at Rest by Burg Ubbergen

1660s

Riders at Rest by Burg Ubbergen • 1660s
Milking Cows

1645-1647

Milking Cows • 1645-1647
Three girls with sheep in a landscape

1650s

Three girls with sheep in a landscape • 1650s
Three Little Shepherdesses with Sheep

1650s

Three Little Shepherdesses with Sheep • 1650s
Cattle by a River

between 1650 and 1691

Cattle by a River • between 1650 and 1691
Cows in a Pasture beside a River before the Ruins of the Abbey of Rijnsburg

between 1640 and 1649

Cows in a Pasture beside a River before the Ruins of the Abbey of Rijnsburg • between 1640 and 1649
A Cavalry Trooper Decorating his Dappled Grey Horse with a Reclining Spaniel at his Feet

between 1650 and 1653

A Cavalry Trooper Decorating his Dappled Grey Horse with a Reclining Spaniel at his Feet • between 1650 and 1653
An Evening Landscape with Figures and Sheep

1650s

An Evening Landscape with Figures and Sheep • 1650s
View of the Maas near Dordrecht

between 1644 and 1645

View of the Maas near Dordrecht • between 1644 and 1645
A View of Vianen with a Herdsman and Cattle by a River

between 1640 and 1648

A View of Vianen with a Herdsman and Cattle by a River • between 1640 and 1648
Fishing Under the Ice

1650s

Fishing Under the Ice • 1650s
A Pier Overlooking Dordrecht

1640s

A Pier Overlooking Dordrecht • 1640s
Children and a Cow

1635–1639

Children and a Cow • 1635–1639
Fishing Under the Ice

1650s

Fishing Under the Ice • 1650s
Panoramic Landscape with Shepherds

between 1640 and 1645

Panoramic Landscape with Shepherds • between 1640 and 1645
A drover and milkmaid standing beside cattle, a view to a town in the distance

1650s

A drover and milkmaid standing beside cattle, a view to a town in the distance • 1650s
Landscape with cattle

1639

Landscape with cattle • 1639
A One-year-old Boy with a Sheep

1639

A One-year-old Boy with a Sheep • 1639
Orpheus Charming the Animals

1640

Orpheus Charming the Animals • 1640
Piping Shepherds

between 1643 and 1644

Piping Shepherds • between 1643 and 1644
Landscape with the ruins of Rijnsburg Abbey

1645

Landscape with the ruins of Rijnsburg Abbey • 1645
Portrait of a Sportsman

1660

Portrait of a Sportsman • 1660
Portrait of a girl with a sprig of flowers

1655

Portrait of a girl with a sprig of flowers • 1655
Landscape with Maid Milking a Cow

1655

Landscape with Maid Milking a Cow • 1655
Portrait of a girl from the Van der Burch family

1655

Portrait of a girl from the Van der Burch family • 1655
Ubbergen Castle

1655

Ubbergen Castle • 1655
Portrait of the Sam family

1653

Portrait of the Sam family • 1653
Huntsmen Halted

from 1650 until 1655

Huntsmen Halted • from 1650 until 1655
A Woman holding Oliebol Treats

1652

A Woman holding Oliebol Treats • 1652
Lady and Gentleman on Horseback

1655

Lady and Gentleman on Horseback • 1655