Standing cow to the left 

Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt made this sketch of a ‘Standing Cow to the Left’ using brown ink on paper. Cows may seem like a humble subject, but throughout history they have been potent symbols of wealth, sustenance, and even national identity. In the context of 18th- and 19th-century Europe, during which this was likely made, images of livestock were tied to notions of agricultural prosperity and rural life. Yet, we must also acknowledge the complicated relationship between humans and animals. This cow, rendered with such delicate lines, invites us to contemplate the labor, care, and perhaps even affection that connect us to these creatures. What does it mean to capture its likeness, to study its form, and to find beauty in its very being? Perhaps Hirt invites us to consider our place within the natural world, where our lives are deeply intertwined with those of other species.