Cows (from the series "Mountain Landscapes")

Motives derived from observations of life in two highland villages – initially Szlembark, later in Kiry-Kościelisko – were explored by Tadeusz Kulisiewicz throughout almost his entire artistic career. In this drawing, three black cows emerge from a uniformly black background. Each animal is outlined in light, though their legs and horns vanish into the dark, mysterious space. The cows appear flat, almost monochromatic, as if levitating in the darkness. Two of them, at the lower part of the composition, face left, while the third, positioned above them, although facing the opposite direction, turns its head to follow its companions. All the cows have their heads raised and are gazing at a single point, somewhere far beyond the picture frame. The enigmatic and ominous mood of the scene is a remarkable example of the depiction of rural life in Polish art, which often inspired artists to create pastoral, idyllic visions.