Koe en herder met koeien en geiten

Joseph Louis Leborne made this print of cows and goats in the 19th century. The image is divided into two distinct scenes, one above the other. In the upper scene, a lone cow grazes in a pasture, while in the lower scene, a group of cows and goats gather around a trough. Leborne was a French artist whose career developed in the wake of the French Revolution. After the Revolution, the French Academy came under scrutiny. It was seen as an elitist institution that was out of touch with the needs of the French people. In this context, the academy began to promote art that was more accessible to the general public. Leborne's print of cows and goats reflects this new direction in French art. It is a simple, straightforward image that celebrates the beauty of the French countryside. Ultimately, it is the job of the historian to examine the social, political, and economic context in which this image was created. By doing so, we can gain a deeper understanding of the artwork itself.