Artwork preview

Drover with Oxen Pulling a Cart

Théodore Chassériau

National Gallery of Art

This is a painting of a group of oxen being driven through a landscape. The painting depicts three oxen harnessed together, striding across a terrain suggested by the lines and swirls of color beneath them. The oxen are rendered with dynamic strokes. The oxen have a variety of shades, including earthy browns and blues that accentuate the contours of their muscles and features. Above them, a flock of birds is represented by scattered silhouettes against a sky that transitions from beige to blue. The overall palate of the painting uses muted earth tones with hints of blue, integrating the figures of the oxen seamlessly into the landscape.

Artwork Details

Date
1840/41
Medium
watercolor over brush and brown ink on wove paper
Dimensions
4268 × 3522 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original