Nature #72 Rien Poortvliet (1932-1995)

The composition presents a pastoral scene imbued with unsettling undertones. A large bovine figure dominates the foreground, lying prone within a field of tall, verdant grass. The animals coloration is striking – a patchwork of reddish-brown and white – and its posture suggests exhaustion or perhaps resignation. A chain encircles its neck, hinting at captivity and restriction.
The background reveals a hazy landscape, with indistinct trees silhouetted against a sky painted in muted tones of orange and pink, evoking either dawn or dusk. The brushwork here is looser, contributing to the sense of distance and ambiguity.
In the lower portion of the painting, two fox cubs are depicted cautiously approaching the resting cow. Their posture conveys a mixture of curiosity and apprehension; they seem both drawn to and wary of the larger creature. The artist has rendered them with considerable detail, emphasizing their youthful vulnerability.
The juxtaposition of these elements – the restrained bovine, the wild foxes, and the ambiguous landscape – suggests a complex interplay between domestication and freedom, power and vulnerability. The chain around the cow’s neck is a particularly potent symbol, representing not only physical constraint but also potentially broader themes of control and exploitation.
The presence of the fox cubs introduces an element of hope or potential disruption. Their approach could be interpreted as a challenge to the established order, a foreshadowing of change or liberation. The paintings subtexts seem to explore the delicate balance between nature’s inherent wildness and humanity’s attempts to impose structure upon it. There is a palpable sense of melancholy, but also an undercurrent of quiet defiance.