Staande en liggende koeien in een weide 1848 - 1888

Anton Mauve’s sketch of cows in a meadow, housed here at the Rijksmuseum, presents us with more than just farm animals. The image, made with pencil, displays the motif of the bovine. Throughout history, the figure of the cow has carried potent symbolism. In ancient cultures, like that of Egypt, the cow, or the bull, represented fertility, nourishment, and maternal power. This reverence evolved, reappearing in various forms, from the Cretan bull to the Indian reverence for cows as sacred animals. Here, Mauve’s cows, standing and lying in pastoral repose, evoke a sense of tranquility. It is as if the cows are not merely animals but symbols of an ordered, nurturing world, embodying the cyclical, comforting rhythm of nature. The sketch connects us back to primal, almost subconscious, associations with nature's bounty and the Earth's maternal embrace. The image resonates with an emotional calm, quietly stirring deep-seated memories of harmony. It's a symbol that continues its eternal, non-linear journey, appearing and reappearing through the ages, each time colored by a different cultural light.