Staande koe, naar rechts 1816

Jean Bernard created this small watercolor work, "Staaande Koe, naar rechts" or "Standing Cow, facing right," in the late 18th or early 19th century. The composition is remarkably simple: a cow stands in profile against a neutral background, bisected by a patch of green grass and a thin grey strip. The subdued palette of browns, greys, and greens creates a tranquil, almost pastoral mood. Bernard's approach to form is particularly striking. The cow is rendered with a kind of geometric abstraction. Its body is divided into distinct, almost architectural planes of color. This treatment reduces the animal to its most essential forms. This emphasis on structure and the simplification of natural forms can be read through a semiotic lens. Bernard is not merely representing a cow but deconstructing it into a series of signs that engage with broader artistic and philosophical concerns. The artwork challenges fixed meanings by engaging with new ways of thinking about perception and representation.