Koe, van opzij 1650

Harmen ter Borch created "Koe, van opzij" - Cow, from the side - in the Dutch Republic, with pen in gray and brown and brush in brown. Ter Borch lived during the Dutch Golden Age, a time of unprecedented economic growth and cultural flourishing, but also stark social stratification. This small drawing on paper depicts a cow, an animal central to the Dutch agricultural economy. The cow, rendered with a delicate hand, invites us to consider the labor and lives deeply entwined with the land. As the Dutch Republic expanded its global trade networks, images of the local countryside became increasingly popular amongst the rising merchant class. Ter Borch's seemingly simple sketch, therefore, not only reflects a specific historical moment but also speaks to the complex relationship between humans, animals, and the land. What does it mean to value certain forms of labor while rendering others invisible? How does our relationship to the natural world shape our understanding of ourselves and others? These are some of the questions that arise when considering this drawing.