The Early Plowman

Samuel Palmer

Cleveland Museum of Art

The Early Plowman by Samuel Palmer: A black and white etching of a landscape with a plowman and oxen. The scene is set in a rural area with a plowman and two oxen in the foreground. The plowman wears a hat and faces away from the viewer, towards the oxen. To the right of the plowman, a woman stands beside a tree. Tall, slender trees line the right side of the image. In the background, a range of hills or mountains is visible under a cloudy sky. Several birds are flying in the sky. The overall atmosphere is dark and moody, with heavy shading and texture. The image has a rectangular shape with a light-colored border around the etching.