The Bull
Paulus Potter · 1650 · Art Institute of Chicago
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From the museum
Paulus Potter was the preeminent animal artist of the Dutch Republic. His paintings and prints of monumentalized bulls for sophisticated court patrons in particular epitomize the beasts of the Dutch farmland. His slightly caricatured style betrayed a wry and occasionally earthy wit, which he sometimes used for political allegory. By his early death at age 29 he had created his own market niche of animal portraiture, leading the way for 18th-century artists such as George Stubbs, who would paint literal portraits of prized livestock for their proud owners.
The museum’s own description, in English. Licence: CC BY 4.0
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Details
- Maker
- Paulus Potter, Dutch, 1625-1654
- Date
- 1650
- Medium
- Etching on cream laid paper
- Dimensions
- Plate: 10.8 × 14.7 cm (4 5/16 × 5 13/16 in.); Sheet: 11.5 × 15.2 cm (4 9/16 × 6 in.)
- Place of origin
- Holland
- Held by
- Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · Not on view
- Credit line
- Elizabeth Hammond Stickney Collection
Image: Art Institute of Chicago, CC0
