Twee schetsen van een staande koe, naar rechts 1821

Jean Bernard created these two sketches of a standing cow with pen in gray in the late 18th or early 19th century. During this time in Europe, the agricultural revolution changed not only farming practices but also the relationship between people and animals. Cows, central to rural life, were often romanticized as symbols of pastoral innocence. Yet, this idyllic image often obscured the labor and the economic realities tied to animal husbandry. Bernard’s sketches, while seemingly simple, invite a closer look at the themes of labor, class, and rural identity. How do these sketches reflect or perhaps idealize the role of animals in the agrarian economy? What do these sketches tell us about the lives of the farmers dependent on these animals for their livelihoods? This work serves as a poignant reminder of the interwoven histories of humans, animals, and the landscapes they inhabit.