Stierkopf im Profil nach links 

Johann Heinrich Roos created "Stierkopf im Profil nach links" with red chalk, sometime in the 17th century. Roos, who would have been active in the late Baroque period, came from a family of artists, and was particularly known for his animal drawings and paintings. The bull's head in profile is softly rendered, giving the animal a docile and contemplative appearance. At the time, images of animals were closely tied to notions of the pastoral, as well as wealth and prosperity. How might we consider the symbolism of the bull beyond these traditional interpretations? In some cultures, the bull represents masculine strength and virility, but here, its averted gaze and soft features seem to disrupt these associations. Roos’s animal studies allowed for the disruption of established norms. Instead, he seems to reflect on the quiet dignity of the animal.