Head of Cow n.d.

Curator: I’m struck immediately by the sheer gentleness of this piece. The cow appears to be patiently listening or observing with almost human curiosity. Editor: Indeed. What we’re looking at here is “Head of Cow,” a pencil drawing on paper by Paulus Potter. It’s held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. Curator: I love the way Potter has captured the animal’s character! It feels as if the cow has a story to tell. A very grassy one. The delicate shading gives her a soft, almost vulnerable air. Editor: The cross-hatching is subtle but crucial. Note how Potter uses it to model the form, paying close attention to the fall of light. The negative space around the cow’s head also emphasizes its presence. He’s simplified to only her head, maximizing visual focus on the subject and its expression. Curator: Absolutely. It's incredible how much expression he achieves with just pencil lines. Look at the slightly opened mouth and the soft, unfocused gaze! She seems so present, yet a million miles away in a pasture daydream. You can almost hear the contented munching. Editor: Cows often are seen in painting through symbolic and genre scenes, reflecting cultural attitudes and land ownership. But this study offers the gaze as an endpoint of consideration—rather than, as commonly portrayed, something "lower". We can examine Potter’s exploration of form as equally artistic and critical. Curator: Right? We forget they're sentient beings! This artwork feels like a welcome invitation to ponder on that. Even as simple sketch, it is a great study on expression. Editor: Reflecting upon “Head of Cow” has provided us with some interesting viewpoints that go beyond Potter's skills of realism. Curator: True, it made me realize how often animals feature in art as background props rather than personalities in their own right. Maybe next time, I will reflect on cows some more.