Vrouw zittend bij een koe en haar kalf 1762 - 1829

Jean Louis Demarne created this etching of a woman, a cow, and her calf sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Demarne was a painter of landscapes and genre scenes, often depicting rural life. In this image, the natural world is presented as a peaceful place, where humans and animals can coexist harmoniously. Made in France, this image presents the social construction of the pastoral idyll. The cow was a symbol of wealth and prosperity in France at this time, and the image may reflect the interests of the landowning class. Note the woman sitting passively in the scene; the image certainly reflects a patriarchal social structure. To understand the socio-economic conditions that shaped Demarne's work, we need to look at the historical context in which it was made. Studying sources such as agricultural records and estate inventories can give us a better understanding of the role of livestock in French society at this time.