Grazing Cow 1783

Jacob Cats created this watercolor of a ‘Grazing Cow’ in the Netherlands in the late eighteenth century. The image appears straightforward, but in its time, it spoke to the economic and social changes transforming the Dutch countryside. In the Dutch Golden Age, the landed gentry began to regard land management and animal husbandry as not only profitable but also as signs of status and refinement. The cow, in particular, became an emblem of Dutch prosperity and national identity. Cats's choice to portray the cow in such detail, as well as his emphasis on its well-fed appearance, aligns with the period's broader fascination with agricultural improvement. By examining agricultural manuals and estate records from the period, we can understand how art served as a mirror reflecting and shaping the values of a changing society.