Gezicht op een aantal koeien naast een sloot met op de achtergrond een stal before 1900

This monochrome photograph by A. Wande presents a pastoral scene of cows near a ditch with a barn in the background. Consider the cow, a symbol deeply embedded in the human psyche. Throughout history, it has appeared as the nurturing mother goddess, like Hathor in ancient Egypt, but also as the object of sacrifice. Notice how the cows are portrayed, not as majestic figures, but as passive elements of the landscape. It reminds me of how in some cultures, such as ancient Greece, livestock was considered a symbol of wealth and prosperity but also a reminder of mortality, destined for slaughter. The barn in the background could equally represent shelter and confinement. These images and symbols reflect our deep-seated ambivalence toward nature, where the same entities that sustain us are also subject to our control. The artist presents a landscape laden with subconscious associations. This seemingly idyllic scene thus engages us on a primal, emotional level. It embodies the cycle of life and death, creation and destruction, that persists through time.