A wooded landscape with grazing cattle near a stream

Barend Cornelis Koekkoek was born on the 11th of October 1803 in Middelburg as eldest son to the marine painter Johannes Hermanus Koekkoek (1778-1851). At the early age of thirteen Koekkoek studied at the local academy and frequented evening classes by Abraham Kraystein (1793-1855). Having been awarded a scholarship by the Dutch Government, Koekkoek attended the academy in Amsterdam where he was taught by Jean Augustin Daiwaille (1786-1850) whom he befriended and worked with for the rest of his career. On the 14th of August 1833 he married Daiwailles daughter Elise Thérèse (1814-1881). Following his academy years Koekkoek undertook several journeys along the rivers Rhine, the Ahr and the Ruhr from both the Netherlands and Cleves.

These extensive travels through the rolling landscape provided the artist with a large number of motives and subjects. Collecting his broad scope of impressions in sketches and drawings, he would retreat to his studio to render his final version to canvas or panel. The present lot is distinctive for Koekkoek's work of the fifties, showing the profound influence of the attractive Rhine landscape around Cleves where he had moved to almost two decades earlier. Koekkoek loved to work out a 'see-through effect', guiding the viewer through his complex landscape compositions.

We wish to thank drs. Guido de Werd for kindly confirming the authenticity of the present lot after first hand examination.