Koeien, een stier en een os after 1583

"Koeien, een stier en een os," or Cows, a Bull, and an Ox, now at the Rijksmuseum, was created by Abraham de Bruyn in the late 16th century. De Bruyn's etching presents a pastoral scene, dominated by a group of grazing cattle beneath a tree, rendered through precise, linear marks. The composition is structured around the interplay of light and shadow, creating depth. De Bruyn's marks define the volumes of the animals and the landscape, creating a sense of texture. The artist uses a semiotic system of signs to convey meaning, the animals symbolizing fertility, labor, and the natural world. The tree, centrally placed, acts as a structural anchor. Through this ordered arrangement of visual elements, De Bruyn invites the viewer to contemplate the relationship between humanity and nature. It is a relationship defined by a structure of observation and understanding.