Twee koeien en een kalf 1799 - 1854

Andries Leijerdorp etched this pastoral scene of cows and a calf sometime in the early 19th century. Cattle, seemingly mundane, bear a weighty symbolic load across cultures. From ancient Egypt, where Hathor the cow goddess was worshipped, to the bull sacrifices of Mithraism, bovine imagery evokes themes of fertility, strength, and nourishment. Even the Golden Calf incident in the Old Testament pulses with the tension between idolatry and divine representation. Here, in this seemingly simple bucolic scene, the symbolism continues. In many traditions, the cow represents motherhood and abundance. The calf, nestled at its mother's feet, reminds us of the cycle of life, mirroring similar motifs of a mother and child throughout art history. This imagery engages our collective memory, resonating with deep-seated psychological associations of nurturing and growth. The persistent recurrence of the bovine motif in art reveals how symbols evolve, adapt, and resurface, carrying layers of meaning across time.