Alexander van Bredael specialised in the depiction of everyday scenes set in his native Antwerp. In this painting, he represented the local cattle market, or Ossenmarkt, which is crowded with small lively figures and anecdotal episodes. A man in a long coat receives payment for a cow from a smiling butcher, observed by neighbours and passers-by. A statue of the Virgin Mary in a small chapel above the square presides over all commercial transactions, which are thus subject to a superior moral authority. The disorder threatening the marketplace is suggested by the cattle escaping in the background.

Provenance: Founders bequest

Object description
Type: Easel painting
Location: Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle, County Durham
Material: Oil on panel
Artist: Alexander van Bredael (1663-1720)
Date: 1693

Image Details
Date: 12 May 2024
Camera body: iPhone Xs
Lens: Telephoto Camera 52mm ƒ/2.4
Focal Length: 52mm
Aperture: ƒ/2.4
Shutter Speed: 1/33s
ISO: 500
Licensing: Image of a Bowes Museum asset. This image cannot be licensed.