Gezicht op het landhuis van Buitenzorg 1771

This drawing by Johannes Rach captures the estate of Buitenzorg, depicting a serene landscape with the central figure of a man herding cattle. The cattle, seemingly mundane, resonate with ancient symbolic weight. In antiquity, cattle are frequently associated with fertility, power, and prosperity. Think of the sacred bulls of Egypt or the Minoan bull-leaping rituals – these symbols were more than just livestock, they were deeply intertwined with the collective psyche. The act of herding, too, carries its own significance, suggesting control, cultivation, and the taming of nature. Yet, here, the depiction is more subdued, hinting at the transformation of these potent symbols in a colonial context. What was once a sacred emblem now serves a more practical, economic function. The emotional resonance, however, remains, engaging us on a subconscious level as we witness the cyclical progression of these images. They resurface, evolved, and take on new meanings in different historical contexts.