Beach at low tide with cows and two horses

Although he is better known for his seascapes and beach scenes, Simon de Vliegher also created a handful of paintings of inland scenes. Among those drawings still known today, however, it is not only beach scenes – often studies of individual figures, several of which are housed in Berlin – but also detailed depictions of wooded landscapes that are most common. The wide angle of view is characteristic for his artistic practice, and is displayed in our sheet. The large-format drawing draws its viewer in through the wide-open space provided for only a handful of objects and through the subtle manner in which the tranquil group of animals manages to attract our attention.