Kop van een koe 1775 - 1833

Jean Bernard’s delicate drawing presents us with the head of a cow, rendered with surprising tenderness. The cow, a symbol of nourishment and fertility, has been revered across cultures from ancient Egypt with the goddess Hathor to India where cows are sacred. But note how this cow engages us directly, its eyes holding a gentle curiosity. It reminds us of the role animals play in our collective psyche. The cow as a mother figure, providing sustenance, evokes deep-seated emotions linked to early nurturing experiences. Consider the enduring motif of the animal head in art, reappearing throughout history in various forms, from sacrificial offerings to emblems of power. It reflects our complex relationship with the natural world, oscillating between reverence and dominion. The emotional weight of this image lies in its capacity to trigger primal feelings, subtly reminding us of our connection to the earth and the cycle of life. Through the ages, symbols like this cow’s head resurface, perpetually shifting in meaning yet always carrying the echoes of our shared past.