Cow and goat lying down 1800 - 1801

Curator: I’m immediately drawn to the intimacy captured in this drawing; it feels almost like a genre painting, a snapshot of rustic life. Editor: Indeed. We’re looking at “Cow and goat lying down,” a pencil drawing completed around 1800-1801 by Adam von Bartsch. It is now housed here at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Curator: The placement is intriguing. Look how the forms lean into one another: the dog presses up on the much larger cow. What does it mean for such different animals to rest together this way? The scale is fascinating! Editor: Precisely! Note how Bartsch masterfully employs light and shadow. The way he models the musculature of the cow using the hatching and cross-hatching lines gives it a strong three-dimensionality, anchoring the animal. In comparison, the lines describing the goat are much finer, adding to a visual distinction that emphasizes the difference between the figures. Curator: Perhaps this image speaks to the theme of harmony in nature. Or the old symbolic association of domesticated animals evoking peaceful coexistence and even idyllic rural life. Editor: Maybe so, but structurally the darker tones behind the cow also serve to lift the image from feeling flat and creates depth to emphasize the two resting figures. The lines of energy travel throughout, unifying all the forms and the image. Curator: Still, there’s a real gentleness evoked through this unassuming vignette, especially considering the era it was created within and all that could potentially stand to be lost within times of unrest. I think we're given the chance to witness care across the species barrier, no? Editor: Perhaps. Ultimately, Bartsch gives us a clear understanding of weight, form, and shape using pencil as a surprisingly deft and agile tool. Curator: Thank you! This makes you see the tenderness in this small piece as truly lasting, regardless of the ages. Editor: My pleasure!