Twee koeien elkaar likkend c. 1657 - 1761

Curator: Let’s take a look at Marcus de Bye’s “Two Cows Licking Each Other,” an etching dating sometime between 1657 and 1761, here at the Rijksmuseum. What do you see initially? Editor: There’s something both serene and slightly unsettling about it. The stark lines create an almost clinical observation of these cows, caught in a moment of bovine intimacy, which, coupled with the plain style of the composition makes me wonder... why two cows? Curator: Consider that cows, especially in 17th-century Dutch art, weren't just livestock. They often symbolized prosperity, the Dutch landscape itself, and the bounty of nature. Here, though, the intimacy… perhaps that alludes to community. Note, however, that the cows seem somewhat emaciated and the tree, while large, is isolated on the left, while the land on the right, while somewhat full, contains smaller rocks. Editor: You're right, that detail, almost like topographical evidence, hints at the relationship of prosperity and the labor required for prosperity itself. And formally, de Bye's use of line emphasizes their bony structures, creating a contrast between their purpose and their intimacy, which is itself rendered with rather rough lines. It isn’t sentimental. Curator: Indeed. Consider also the wider visual culture. Dutch art of this period was fascinated with the everyday, but also with hidden meanings. Cows might also signify patience, even maternal care. This quiet moment becomes a reflection on these qualities valued in society. Editor: It’s an interesting tension between a naturalistic portrayal and those heavier allegorical meanings. The plain realism serves as a way of elevating these work animals and inviting a deep inspection. A sense of a shared burden perhaps. Curator: A shared existence, absolutely. Art allows us these windows, doesn’t it, revealing cultural memories and underlying social currents. Editor: It certainly does; De Bye’s composition nudges us towards the complexities beneath a seemingly simple scene.