Two cowskins designed by M 1979

Eugene Brands made this playful painting titled "Two cowskins designed by M" with gouache and chalk. Brands was a Dutch artist closely associated with the CoBrA group, an experimental movement that emerged in post-war Europe. The group sought to break free from academic traditions through spontaneity and raw expression. In this context, Brands' childlike imagery and bold use of color can be seen as a rejection of established artistic norms. His simple forms and whimsical subject matter challenge the traditional hierarchy of artistic themes. This work is a symbol of the CoBrA group, which was critical of the institutions of art at the time. To fully understand Brand's place in art history, we might look into publications produced by and about the CoBrA group, and explore the cultural and political history of the Netherlands after the Second World War. Art, after all, is always rooted in a specific time and place.