Vier ploegende ossen 1901 - 1902

This etching called ‘Vier ploegende ossen’ was made by Pieter Dupont. I am thinking about Dupont walking around the field before making the work, looking at the oxen working the land with their driver. The drawing has a very earthy palette made of browns and creams. Dupont uses line in the print to render the scene. A single thin line that when duplicated begins to describe mass. Dupont seems to delight in the act of representing these beasts and their driver. I can imagine that Dupont spent a lot of time thinking and looking at the scene before committing to the etching. It makes me think about the work of Käthe Kollwitz and her prints of peasant life. I like the sense of solidarity and shared experience here. It’s like all artists are in conversation, across time, exchanging ideas and inspiring each other’s creativity. This piece feels like it celebrates the ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple readings.