Europese bizon 1835 - 1898

This is Gerardus Johannes Bos’s “Europese Bizon,” a print now held at the Rijksmuseum. Bos was working during a time of great change in Europe, and his detailed rendering of the European bison invites us to consider how humans relate to the natural world. The print captures the animal's physical presence. Bos was known for his detailed animal studies, during a period when scientific illustration was becoming increasingly important. But there's a tension here: the bison, once roaming freely across Europe, is now confined to this image, a symbol of a disappearing world. How do we balance our need for progress with our responsibility to the environment? How do we ensure that future generations can experience the beauty and wonder of the natural world? This image becomes a mirror reflecting our choices.