Os 1880 - 1911

Pieter Dupont rendered this drawing of an ox, with graphite, on paper. Consider the bull, an emblem of virility, power, and primal energy throughout human history. From the ancient Minoan bull-leaping rituals to the sacred bulls of Egypt, this animal has permeated our cultural memory. Think of the Cretan Minotaur, a monstrous hybrid that dwells in the subconscious, embodying the untamed aspects of human nature. Here, the ox is adorned with an apparatus; this taming contrasts with the creature's inherent wildness. Across epochs, the bull motif resurfaces, each time slightly altered, adapting to the prevailing zeitgeist. The emotional and psychological weight it carries—fear, awe, respect—engages viewers on a profound level. These feelings, like powerful undercurrents, shape our collective consciousness. Even in modern contexts, we find echoes of the bull. The motif is constantly in flux, a testament to its enduring presence.