Staande stier en liggende koe met schaap 1647 - 1697

Abraham Jansz. Begeyn rendered this print, featuring a standing bull and a reclining cow with a sheep, using etching techniques. The pastoral scene is alive with symbols of fertility and domesticity. Throughout history, cattle have been more than mere livestock; they are icons of wealth, power, and sustenance. In ancient cultures, bulls were divine symbols of virility and strength, worshipped in mythology from Crete to Egypt. Notice how the resting cow, nestled beside the sheep, evokes themes of nurturing and care, mirroring the classical motif of pastoral harmony. Consider the image of Europa and the Bull, where Zeus transforms into a bull to abduct Europa, a powerful symbol of desire and transformation. The bull, a recurring motif, carries with it the weight of cultural memory, continually resurfacing and transforming across time. Here, the image engages our subconscious, evoking a sense of calm, agrarian life, and the deep-seated human connection to the natural world.