A Herdsman with Five Cows by a River 

Aelbert Cuyp painted this scene of a herdsman with five cows by a river in the Dutch Golden Age, a time when the Netherlands was a global center for trade and art. But this idyllic scene tells a story of power and class. The painting reflects the era's economic focus on agriculture, where land and livestock were symbols of wealth. Cuyp, son of a portrait painter, understood the nuances of representing social status through his art. The herdsman, a working-class figure, is depicted in harmony with the land, yet he remains a figure of labor. The cows, rendered with care, stand as commodities, their value measured in milk and meat. This wasn't just a pastoral scene; it was a statement about the economic structure of the time, one in which some people’s labor directly benefited others. It’s a painting that invites us to reflect on the historical roots of inequality, even in the most serene landscapes.