Liggende koe, geit en staande ram c. 1668 - 1670

Johann Heinrich Roos created this etching, ‘Liggende koe, geit en staande ram’, depicting a cow, goat and ram, around the mid-17th century in the Netherlands. Roos, along with other artists of the Dutch Golden Age, contributed to the development of distinct genres of painting, including the animal painting, of which this is a notable example. At this time, the Dutch Republic was experiencing a period of unprecedented economic growth and social change. The rising merchant class sought new ways to represent their status and their relationship with the land. Depictions of livestock became popular, symbolizing prosperity, rural life and national identity. Roos would have been influenced by the artistic conventions of his time, and the market forces driving the demand for certain types of imagery. The iconography of animals, the composition, and the naturalistic style contribute to the overall meaning of the artwork, reflecting the values and concerns of the Dutch society. Further research into the artist's biography, the history of animal painting in the Netherlands, and the social context of the Dutch Golden Age would provide a deeper understanding of this engaging artwork.