Rustend vee aan een bosrand bij een poel 1766 - 1815

Jacob van Strij’s sepia drawing captures cattle resting near a forest pond. Cattle, as symbols, evoke a pastoral simplicity, but their presence carries echoes of deeper cultural narratives. Throughout history, cattle have symbolized sustenance, wealth, and even divinity. Consider the sacred cow in ancient Egypt, a symbol of nourishment and motherhood, or the sacrificial oxen of ancient Greece, offered to appease the gods. The image of cattle drinking from water can be traced back to ancient Mesopotamian art, where it symbolized fertility and the life-giving power of water. Here, the communal act of drinking is not merely an observation of rural life but a representation of shared resources and harmony. It is an enduring motif, resurfacing through the ages. The water, a basic element of life, brings forth an emotional connection to nature. These images touch upon our collective memories, echoing through time.