Staande koeien en een liggende koe c. 1885 - 1911

Jozef Israëls sketched these 'Standing and Lying Cows' with a graphite pencil on paper. Observe the humble cow, a symbol traversing millennia. In ancient cultures, the cow was revered as a symbol of fertility and nourishment, embodying the nurturing essence of motherhood. Consider the Egyptian goddess Hathor, often depicted with bovine features. Centuries later, we find echoes of this reverence in pastoral scenes across European art. The cow appears as a motif signifying peace and abundance, deeply intertwined with our agrarian roots. Yet, even as societies evolve, the primal connection to the cow persists. Its gentle gaze and rhythmic chewing stir a deep-seated sense of tranquility and contentment. Perhaps it is a subconscious link to simpler times, an echo of ancestral reliance on the land. The image of the cow endures, shaped by history and forever evolving, a testament to the power of symbols to bridge the chasms of time.