The Golden Calf in Art, In Order of Do I Love Her, Is She My Best Friend
Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf.
Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!”
So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” Then they rose early on the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
—Exodus 32:1-6
“If Moses is so great, why isn’t he here? We need something to LOOK AT. We need something to put the OBJECT in OBJECT PERMANENCE. Make us a little best friend everyone can look at. Make us a little cow until God gets back.”
I love her. Yes. A very veau trippant! One foot up, big dainty girl, she teeters over the dance, my good friend, the only cow here. Back is a big straight line with cow dropping down out of it.
[Poussin]
Yes! Yes yes yes yes YES! Has real “The tiger / He has destroyed his cage / yes / YES / the tiger is out” energy. The floatcow is my friend YES
[Lippi]
I love her, she is small, she is tidiest, she is covered in flowers. Be careful with God, she’s very little.
[Vaccaro]
Yes, she is nervous, bring her a bowl of steam!! I love her and her big velvet nose and her warm skin, and I soothe her with sugar cubes and carrots. She is trying so hard to be God for the first time.
[de Caro]
She is so small and so alone and she needs us – the handful cow. She is my best friend.
She is a dog, she is a pony, she is relaxed, she is something, she is okay. She is the cow and she is okay.
Yes she is good with Edward G. Robinson, together they are my best friends, sturdy friends, low center of gravity for friendship, beautiful eyes, sleek, luxury friends. Moses, do you want to pet God? It’s okay, she likes it.
"Be careful with God, she’s very little." Now I want to start a theology based on a God that isn't big or cosmic-sized, but is actually small and shy and needs our encouragement.
This reminds me of a bit I do that I think is hilarious but can’t quite get to land: the devils in the New Testament talking like gum-chewing 30’s and 40’s vamps in the Mae West mold. “How’s about ya cast us into them swine there, big boy?”