Stehende Kuh im verlorenen Profil nach rechts, daneben ein weiteres Rind 

Curator: This sketch by Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt depicts a cow standing in lost profile to the right, with a partial drawing of another cow nearby. It’s rendered in pencil and chalk. What’s your immediate impression? Editor: It feels elemental. The lines are so spare, almost like a diagram. It strips away any sentimentality we might project onto farm animals, leaving us with just…cow. Curator: I find that compelling, too. The reduction to pure form. Think of the broader context: artists were often tasked with documenting rural life. But Hirt here seems less interested in pastoral romanticism. Editor: Right, no idealization. The cow isn't ennobled or sentimentalized. It’s a worker, part of an economic system. We might consider its role as a symbol of sustenance but also labor exploitation in early agricultural societies. Curator: And beyond its function, the animal embodies a potent image: power, fertility. In many cultures, the bull – a related image – holds immense symbolic weight: virility, strength. This drawing reminds me of prehistoric cave paintings—raw and unadorned. Editor: I can see that—an attempt to capture the essence of a creature. Yet the cow is posed to stand to the right side; the symbolism could relate to traditional representations of female animals associated with motherhood and sustenance and, in doing so, also reflect themes of rural life. Curator: I agree. And consider how often art throughout the centuries portrays the powerful male form. Shifting our focus to female animals subverts traditional themes and highlights the fundamental role of the female body in nurturing all human life. Editor: Well, exploring it together, the sketch certainly transcends a simple farm animal depiction. It prompts reflection on so much more: labor, life cycles, perhaps even overlooked contributions by those deemed less significant. Curator: Indeed. This seemingly simple drawing offers so many layers of meaning to consider. Thank you for enriching my insight!