Paulus Potter (1625-1654) was a Dutch painter renowned for his specialization in animals within landscapes, usually from a low vantage point. Born in Enkhuizen, he was baptized on November 20, 1625, and his family moved to Leiden in 1628, and then to Amsterdam in 1631. Here, young Paulus studied painting with his father, Pieter Symonsz Potter. Despite dying of tuberculosis at the age of 28, Potter succeeded in producing about 100 paintings, working continuously throughout his life. His most famous painting is "The Young Bull" (circa 1647), which was greatly admired during the 19th century as an early example of Romanticism and is now located in Mauritshuis in The Hague.
Potter's cultural impact is significant. He was a pioneer in the painting of landscapes with animals, and his work influenced the cattle scenes by Cuyp of the 1640s and 50s. His farm scenes and small-scale paintings of animals became popular in Holland from the middle of the 17th century, shaping the course of Dutch art. His ability to capture the essence of rural life and the natural world in his paintings has left a lasting legacy in the art world.
