Kop van een koe, naar links 1775 - 1833

Curator: Here at the Rijksmuseum, we have "Head of a Cow, facing left" by Jean Bernard, a pencil drawing from around 1775 to 1833. It is rendered in delicate sanguine. What's your initial take? Editor: Strikingly gentle. It's more of a portrait than a mere study of livestock. The animal’s placid gaze and the warm tones lend it a surprisingly empathetic air. Curator: Yes, Bernard elevates this drawing beyond simple documentation. Looking at this work through a contemporary lens, it provokes questions about our relationship to animals, labor, and agricultural practices that are very present issues. Editor: Absolutely. And there's a symbolic weight that comes with depicting cattle. Historically, they have been stand-ins for fertility, wealth, and sustenance. In some cultures, cattle are nearly divine. Bernard captures this complexity with understated strokes. Curator: Consider too the period in which Bernard was creating this image; what role did agricultural advancements play, and what would it mean to capture this animal so naturalistically? Is there some Romanticized ideal about peasant life present here? Editor: It's easy to read into those meanings, and you raise critical questions, but I also appreciate how the simplicity itself leaves it open to multiple interpretations. The focus remains steadfastly on this creature's inherent dignity. There’s also an interesting contrast in its display in the context of a museum versus what was perhaps originally intended by Bernard. Curator: I find that particularly fascinating as well. How often are farm animals put on the walls and examined? Are we looking to reinforce an archaic perspective or question our systems through the imagery that upholds it? Editor: Indeed, a drawing that seems unassuming speaks to layers of history, symbolism, and our evolving relationship with the natural world. It is really quite affecting. Curator: Seeing this image makes me excited to consider and perhaps reconsider these ideas.