Staande koe, met boom c. 1761 - 1900

Curator: Today, we are looking at “Standing Cow, with Tree,” an engraving from circa 1761-1900, part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. Editor: My first impression is one of starkness, perhaps even melancholy. The limited tonal range and the delicate lines used to depict this cow evoke a feeling of quiet isolation in the landscape. Curator: It’s fascinating to view this piece through the lens of animal studies. Consider how agrarian societies often perceived livestock, and how their images could become charged with meaning connected to sustenance and the labor of farming. Editor: The engraver, whose name is not given, certainly captures the reality of rural life. We see the musculature and ribs of the cow. It’s work and yield visualized— a tool of production, rather than a romantic ideal. Look closely at the background. What materials can we ascertain from this landscape? Curator: Precisely! Furthermore, there’s a complex gender dynamic. Historically, cattle are tied to patriarchal systems where female fertility dictates prosperity, yet that female role is subsumed into the economic sphere. Is this a celebration of nature, or an assertion of dominion? Editor: Or neither, but something in between? Consider the lines on the body, etched and carved, not unlike the physical marks of labour we see upon farmers themselves. There's a relationship built through consumption and co-dependence that’s laid bare in the means of its creation. Curator: Yes, that’s crucial to recognize. Even within its visual simplicity, this print sparks layered dialogue about production, consumption, and our complicated bond to both labor and nature. Editor: Ultimately, an image like this pushes us to see value in both craft and creation. Perhaps what initially seemed bleak carries an essential honesty about our material connections.