Studie van een rund 1838 - 1840

Pierre Frédéric Lehnert's "Study of a Cow" delicately captures a bovine subject with graphite and charcoal. Born in 1811, Lehnert situated his artistic practice within a period increasingly shaped by industrialization. His decision to focus on rural subjects can be understood as both a nostalgic gesture and a commentary on the shifting social and economic landscape. The cow, often symbolically associated with feminine qualities such as nurture, patience, and resilience, is rendered with striking individuality here. Lehnert emphasizes the animal's physical strength and quiet dignity. The landscape, dotted with other grazing cattle, positions the animal within the broader context of agricultural life, highlighting the labor involved in food production and the reliance of society on these animals. The sensitivity with which Lehnert approaches his subject invites us to consider our relationship with the natural world. The cow, often reduced to a commodity, is here granted a moment of quiet contemplation.