That's one of the beautiful things about art....it gets to speak to us differently. I really liked this one. I can see and appreciate your perspective, but i see it a different way. I see myself there - the time captured in the painting. Life was slower and more meaningful; cows that close to a church tells me that life is still agrarian. The size of the church says the community values the morals taught by the religious leaders (yes, we could go down a very deep path about hypocrisy and corruption of the church, but i'll avoid that for now). It also shows that the area isn't built up, so life is simpler with a focus on simply living...relying on your neighbors and working together. It shows clean air prior to the smog of today's life. It shows open fields and quiet existence. It also shows beauty in the church, the ability of those around to create. It shows what they chose to create and where they felt was important. It shows clean water and grounds, not yet littered by those who would live there today and not give two shits about the homeland that they've invaded. I don't know....that's what I see...