Køer i en skov ved aften 1832 - 1875

P.C. Skovgaard painted "Cows in a Forest at Evening" with oil on canvas, and it now resides at the SMK. Here, the forest, a symbol of the untamed and the mysterious, dominates our view. The trees reach skyward, their forms reminiscent of ancient guardians. Cows are shown in the centre, but not as a focal point. The forest as a motif echoes through art history. Consider its use in Renaissance paintings as a backdrop for mythological scenes, or its darker depiction in German Romanticism, embodying the sublime and the psychological depths of humanity. Even the cows are not new: recall the pastoral scenes of classical art, where cattle symbolize prosperity and peace. But in Skovgaard's hands, the symbol shifts. The forest becomes a mirror, reflecting our own internal states, our fears, our hopes. It is a timeless stage, where the drama of existence is perpetually re-enacted, and the cows are merely another element. Skovgaard’s painting engages us on a subconscious level, tapping into our collective memory.