Zwei Kühe, die vordere liegend nach rechts, die hintere stehend nach links 

Friedrich Wilhelm Hirt made this drawing of two cows with pen and brown ink, likely in Germany, though the exact date remains unknown. It may seem like a simple pastoral scene, but consider what the image of livestock meant at the time. As agricultural practices shifted and land ownership became increasingly concentrated, depictions of animals became entangled with social and economic issues. The rising middle class, eager to display their own prosperity and connection to the land, drove a market for such imagery. The visual codes used here – the detailed linework and composition – speak to the influence of academic art training in representing the natural world. To fully appreciate this work, we need to examine the history of agricultural practices, the economics of art patronage, and the development of artistic institutions in Germany during Hirt's time. Researching these areas can reveal the complex social conditions that shaped Hirt’s work.