This painting captures the Boy at his youngest — a baby laughing as he reaches out towards a calf. The cow, to me, has always symbolised nurture: a giver of milk, sustenance, and quiet love. The young calf meets the viewer’s gaze directly, its innocence mirrored in the child’s outstretched hand.
And yet, despite the joy, both figures stand on the edge of a precipice. Their play is suspended in a delicate balance between wonder and danger. Are they calling out for help, or are they so completely present — so connected to the universe — that they exist in perfect safety?
It is an image of fragility and trust, of innocence held within the vast uncertainty of life.
