Stående rødbroget ko 1847

Johan Thomas Lundbye made this watercolour of a red-spotted cow in Denmark sometime in the 1840s. Lundbye was part of the Danish Golden Age, when artists turned to the local landscape and rural life for inspiration, seeking to define a unique national identity. This seemingly simple portrait of livestock is thus deeply embedded in the cultural and political currents of its time. The cow, an emblem of rural Denmark, becomes a symbol of national pride. Lundbye's focus on the ordinary, the everyday, reflects a broader artistic trend of elevating the common person and the natural world. To truly understand this artwork, we need to consider the historical context: the rise of nationalism, the agrarian economy, and the artistic institutions that shaped Lundbye's training and worldview. By delving into these resources, we can begin to appreciate how this image embodies the social values and cultural aspirations of its time.