ROOS; JOHANN HEINRICH
1631 Otterberg - 1685 Frankfurt/Main

Cowherds with their cattle by a well in an ancient landscape of ruins. Oil on canvas. Relined. 80 x 109cm. Remains of signature lower left: J. Roos. Framed.

Provenance:
Private collection; Rhineland.

Johann Heinrich Roos was the progenitor of a Palatine family of artists; the last member of which died only in 1805.
Known as 'Rafael of animal painting' and widely noted for his engravings during his lifetime; he nearly sank into oblivion in the late 19th century. Ever since his apprenticeship in Amsterdam (1647-1652) Roos sought to train himself face to face with nature. His sketchbooks were filled with drawings of livestock and herders set in idealised Italian landscapes.
He travelled to Italy since presumably 1653; recent research considers Johann Heinrich Roos to have been among the Bamboccianti (cf.: I Bambaoccianti. Niederl鋘dische Malerrebellen im Rom des Barock. Exhibition catalogue. Wallraf-Richatz-Museum Cologne; August-November 1991).

Works by Johann H. Roos can be found in the museums of Vienna; Berlin; Dresden; Frankfurt; Munich; and many more.Art trade; Van Ham.