Hilly Landscape 1635 - 1655

Jacob van Mosscher created this oil on canvas, titled "Hilly Landscape," sometime in the first half of the 17th century. Here, the motif of the cow takes center stage—an age-old symbol that speaks volumes through history. In ancient cultures, the cow was revered as a symbol of fertility and nourishment. The image of cattle, a life-sustaining force, recurs throughout art history. Reflect on the Paleolithic cave paintings; and later, we see the motif reappear in ancient Egyptian art, where cows were linked to divine motherhood. In the Indian tradition, the cow is venerated as sacred, embodying gentleness and maternal abundance. Consider, then, how the image of the cow has transformed through epochs. This seemingly simple pastoral scene is imbued with layers of cultural memory, invoking a sense of timeless, cyclical return.