Francois van Severdonck was a Flemish painter of landscapes, genre-scenes, portraits and architectures, especially known for his depiction of animals. The illustrating of farm animals had a long tradition, particularly in Dutch and Flemish painting, but it was not until the nineteenth century that it achieved notable, widespread popularity.

Severdonck’s style in the painting of livestock was of the school of realistic objectivity. As one art critic wrote of this type of realism: “Ah! Beautiful Realism! Pleasing and attractive Truth! How good is the countryside here, alive, animated, full of noise and movement, without losing its calmness, grandeur, and happiness!”