Parsonage House at Henstead 

This drawing, Parsonage House at Henstead, was created by Benjamin West. Note the prominent presence of the bull, a symbol resonating with ancient power. Across cultures, from the Minoan bull-leaping rituals to the Egyptian Apis bull, this animal embodies virility, strength, and a primal connection to nature. In West’s composition, the bull isn’t merely an element of the pastoral scene; it is placed alongside the rural dwellings, as if guarding this domain. The symbol is far older, but the underlying essence of potency remains. The bull also surfaces in the myth of Europa, and in the Bible, the Golden Calf. It is a motif that has historically elicited both awe and fear, representing untamed, instinctual forces. West's inclusion of the bull may be a subconscious acknowledgement of these deep-seated archetypes, a recognition of humanity's relationship with its animalistic roots. The persistence of the bull motif is not linear, yet cyclical, forever resurfacing, evolving, and taking on new meanings in differing contexts.