Landschap met drie koeien en een vrouw 1605 - 1673

Lucas van Uden created this landscape with etching around the mid-17th century. The pastoral scene, featuring cows and a woman amidst lush greenery, speaks to a deep-seated longing for Arcadia, a motif that stretches back to ancient Greece. Consider the cow: in antiquity, it was a symbol of fertility and nourishment, linked to goddesses like Hera and Hathor. Even today, we see echoes of this veneration in agricultural societies where cattle represent wealth and sustenance. Yet, here, the cows are not divine, but rather, quotidian elements of the landscape, grounding the scene in a reality that tempers any overly idealized reading. The forest itself carries weight, evoking a sense of the subconscious, a place of mystery, and even fear. This landscape, seemingly serene, is alive with layers of meaning that invite us to consider the cyclical nature of symbols. The landscape has resurfaced and evolved across history, constantly being reinterpreted and imbued with new significance.