Watching over two cows 1970

Ivan Generalic invites us into a seemingly simple scene of rural life with his painting, "Watching over two cows." Generalic was a key figure in the Croatian naive art movement. His work is celebrated for its directness and intimate portrayal of village life, yet his art is far from artless. Consider how the figures in the painting—the man and the cows—are rendered with a flattened perspective and bold colors, almost childlike in their simplicity. In a post-war context, where many sought to redefine national and personal identities, Generalic turned to the countryside. What does it mean to find solace or identity in the pastoral, particularly after periods of intense social and political upheaval? The painting hints at a life intertwined with the land, a life where the simplicity of watching over cows becomes a profound act of connection. It asks us to consider how we find meaning in the everyday, in the quiet moments of observation and reflection.