Paulus Potter was a Dutch

Dutch Republic

The Dutch Republic — officially known as the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands , the Republic of the United Netherlands, or the Republic of the Seven United Provinces — was a republic in Europe existing from 1581 to 1795, preceding the Batavian Republic and ultimately...

 painter

Painting

Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...

, specialized in animals in landscapes, usually with a low point of view. Before Potter died of tuberculosis

Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...

, 28-years old, he succeeded in producing about a hundred paintings, working continuously.
Few details are known of Potter's life. In 1628 his family moved to Leiden, and in 1631 to Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, where young Paulus studied painting with his father, Pieter Symonsz Potter

Pieter Symonsz Potter

Pieter Symonsz Potter , was a Dutch Golden Age painter.-Biography:According to Houbraken he was the city secretary of Enkhuizen, married to the daughter of Paulus Bertius and the father of the painter Pieter I Potter, making him the grandfather of Pieter II, Paulus, and Maria Potter.According to...

. After his mother died, his father started an affair with the wife of Pieter Codde

Pieter Codde

Pieter Jacobsz. Codde was a Dutch painter of genre works, guardroom scenes and portraits.-Life:Codde was a technically skilled painter...

, also living in the fancy Sint Antoniesbreestraat

Sint Antoniesbreestraat

The Sint Antoniesbreestraat is a street in the centre of Amsterdam, The Netherlands. The street runs south from Nieuwmarkt square to the Sint Antoniesluis sluice gates....

.