Landschap met kudde vee 1781 - 1822

This etching of a landscape with cattle is by Hermanus Fock, made sometime between the late 18th and early 19th century. Note how the livestock is scattered throughout the scene in an Eden-like setting of rolling hills and lush trees. Cattle have historically served as a symbol of prosperity, and their presence in landscapes can be traced back to ancient pastoral traditions. Think of Europa and the bull, a myth symbolizing both fertility and transformation. Yet, in this image, the cattle also evoke a sense of something deeper, a collective memory of simpler times perhaps, or a subconscious yearning for harmony between man and nature. This idyllic representation taps into a visual language that continues to resonate, resurfacing in different forms across various epochs, each time carrying a similar, yet subtly altered emotional charge. It reminds us that symbols are never static; they evolve, adapt, and persist, weaving their way through our cultural consciousness.