Landschap met een ossenkar before 1831

Adrianus van der Koogh created this landscape with an oxcart using pen in gray in the early 19th century. Here, the oxcart symbolizes labor, burden, and the slow passage of time, deeply rooted in agrarian life. Consider, though, the ox in the broader symbolic spectrum. In ancient Minoan culture, the bull was venerated in ritualistic bull-leaping, symbolizing virility and power. Yet, in the hands of van der Koogh, this potent symbol is domesticated. The ox now tethers man to the earth. We may reflect on how this motif resonates with collective memory. The tilling of the soil, the provision of sustenance, the toil—these are universal experiences. Like a snake shedding its skin, the meaning of the ox has transformed, adapting to societal needs while retaining fragments of its primal force. What does it evoke in you?