Cow 

James Charles’s painting, simply titled *Cow*, is made with oil paints, a traditional fine art material, applied to a canvas support. The artist's hand is evident in the brushstrokes, visible in the way the paint captures the light on the animal's back, and in the strokes of green that suggest the field below. Charles was part of a generation that turned away from academic art and towards direct observation. In doing so, they also embraced a new social context, one that saw a growing separation between urban and rural life. This painting evokes the agricultural landscape and the labour involved in animal husbandry. The cow itself, of course, is a key element of the agricultural process. Its milk, meat, and hide are all products of its labour. But the painting is not just a depiction of a cow, it is a celebration of the animal's beauty and its place in the natural world. Paintings such as these remind us of the importance of understanding the social context in which art is made. They challenge us to consider the ways in which art can be both a product of labour and a celebration of the natural world.