AA-2026-C50D03
On the image
A young bovine, perhaps a steer, offers its profile to the photographer, its fur thick and somewhat shaggy, exactly as nature intended for an animal designed to convert grass into other, more commercially valuable products. The short, developing horns are a reminder that even animals on display have their own timeline for achieving full cow-ness.
Behind it, a building with arched bays and a white fence suggests a managed environment, perhaps a historic farm or a public park petting zoo, where the public could observe cows in a slightly curated habitat. This kind of arrangement allowed urban dwellers to reconnect with the simple truths of agriculture, without, presumably, getting too close to the actual smells.
The animal stares off-camera with the mild disinterest common to creatures whose daily schedule involves significant periods of standing still and chewing, perfectly content to be part of the rural scenery that city folks paid good money to visit during the 1970s. Its primary function, at this moment, was to look like a cow, and it excelled.
The historian's note
This image depicts a domestic bovine animal, likely a cattle breed such as Angus due to its dark, solid colouration and polled (or short-horned) nature, photographed in the 1970s. The background architecture, featuring arched openings and a white fence, is characteristic of a farm or ranch setting, possibly one open to the public.
During the 1970s, interest in agricultural heritage and 'back to nature' movements led to the establishment or popularisation of many public farms, petting zoos, and living history museums across the United States and other developed nations. These venues aimed to educate the public about farming practices and animal husbandry.
Such attractions provided opportunities for urban populations, increasingly disconnected from rural life, to observe farm animals up close. The presence of these animals was a central draw, offering a tangible link to food sources and the historical agricultural economy.
Subjects & keywords — each links to a search
Visually related — by likeness
Farm Bovine Profile, 1970s. 1970–1979. Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library, AA-2026-C50D03. https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/farm-bovine-profile-1970s.
@misc{aaAA2026C50D03,
title = {Farm Bovine Profile, 1970s},
year = {1970–1979},
howpublished = {Archive \& Atlas, Historical Image Library},
note = {Accession AA-2026-C50D03},
url = {https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/farm-bovine-profile-1970s}
}TY - ART TI - Farm Bovine Profile, 1970s PY - 1970–1979 PB - Archive & Atlas, Historical Image Library AN - AA-2026-C50D03 UR - https://thearchive.archiveandatlas.com/library/farm-bovine-profile-1970s ER -
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