Yasuo Kuniyoshi (1889-1953)

Yasuo Kuniyoshi's works from the 1920s frequently included cows, and he estimated that his fascination with the animal motivated about sixty paintings and drawings over a two to three year period. Explaining the inspiration behind these works, Kuniyoshi said, "The horse is a splendid animal, but the cow is more irregular. You can make more of it." (as quoted in North American Prints, 1913-1947: An Examination at Century's End, Syracuse, New York, 2006, p. 101) Indeed, although still largely realistic, the bovine in the early Boy With Cow of 1921 features an angular head and hindquarters and a massive body, which would become more exaggerated in his later works of the series, such as Little Joe With Cow (1923, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas).

Kuniyoshi later reflected in 1940, "I was painting cows and cows at the time because somehow I felt very near the cow. Besides I thought I understood the animal. You see I was born, judging by the Japanese calendar, in a 'cow year.' According to legend I believed my fate to be guided, more or less, by the bovine kingdom." (as quoted in North American Prints, 1913-1947: An Examination at Century's End, p. 101)