Koeienkop naar links c. 1822 - 1887

Johannes Hari etched this head of a cow facing left sometime in the 19th century. Here, we see a bovine, an animal that carries profound symbolic weight across cultures. From ancient Egypt, where the cow was worshipped as a maternal goddess, to the Cretan bull, a symbol of virility and power. This image connects us to archaic memories. Notice how the horns, here rendered with understated elegance, have, in other contexts, been exaggerated and stylized. Think of the Minoan frescoes, or later, Picasso's Minotaur, each reflecting a different facet of humanity’s enduring fascination with this animal. What are we to make of this animal's gaze, seemingly gentle and curious? Hari taps into our collective subconscious, where the animal embodies both innocence and raw power. These primal symbols resurface throughout history, transformed by time and culture. Hari’s cow is but one iteration in an unending cycle of cultural expression.