Bison, bijgenaamd Buster, in de Rocky Mountains 1924 - 1926

This photograph by J. Dearden Holmes captures a bison, nicknamed "Buster," in the snowy Rocky Mountains. The bison, an imposing figure, becomes a potent symbol of the American West, embodying notions of untamed wilderness and natural abundance. Consider how the image of the bull, with its powerful horns and muscular frame, echoes through time. From the Cretan bull-leaping rituals to the myth of Europa and the bull, this animal has long been associated with virility, strength, and primal energy. In ancient Mithraic mysteries, the tauroctony—the bull-slaying scene—symbolizes sacrifice and renewal. Yet here, in the context of the Rocky Mountains, the bison acquires a uniquely American significance. It represents the vast, open landscapes and the now-diminished Native American way of life, forever linked to the animal. This image resonates with a collective memory, a subconscious yearning for a connection to nature that has been disrupted. The bison, therefore, serves as a reminder of a lost world, a symbol that continues to resurface and evolve in our cultural consciousness.