Staande koe, naar links 1775 - 1833

Jean Bernard made this drawing of a standing cow, facing left, with graphite, sometime before 1833. Cows were a common subject in Dutch art. In the 17th century, during the Dutch Golden Age, they were often romanticized as symbols of prosperity and rural life. This drawing, however, presents a more direct, less idealized view. Made during a time of economic and political change in the Netherlands, it reflects a shift in artistic focus towards realism and the everyday. Artists started to depict the world around them more accurately, possibly influenced by the Enlightenment’s emphasis on observation and scientific inquiry. To truly understand this drawing, we can look at agricultural practices, economic shifts, and the changing role of rural life in Dutch society at the time. By researching the social and economic conditions that shaped Bernard's world, we can appreciate the drawing as more than just a simple depiction of a cow, but as a reflection of its time.