Staande koe in een wei 1750 - 1850

Couet fils created this etching of a standing cow in a meadow. At first glance, it’s easy to see this as simply a pastoral scene, a serene portrayal of rural life. But consider the historical context: images of livestock were often tied to notions of agricultural prosperity and national identity, particularly in the Netherlands, where cattle farming was a cornerstone of the economy. The cow is seen from the rear, her tail swishing, as she looks out onto a distant landscape with a building. What does it mean to see her this way? Perhaps Couet is inviting us to think about the labor, the animal itself, as the backbone of this prosperity. How do we reckon with the representation of labor and value when that labor is bovine? This artwork gives us pause to reflect on the complex relationships between land, labor, and identity.