August Knip was the eldest son of Josephus Augustus Knip and brother of Henriëtte Ronner-Knip. After his father's lessons, August specialized in painting - in oil - goats, sheep and also horses in a stable interior or landscape. Landscapes with German or Italian motifs are also known by him. It is not certain whether he has actually been to Italy. Within the well-traveled Knip family it was not unusual to use drawings of each other as models. In his time August was a successful artist, who already at the age of 16 painted the farm of King Willem II for him.