Man met een span ossen 1820 - 1865

Constant Troyon rendered this drawing, "Man met een span ossen" - Man with a Team of Oxen - with black chalk, now held at the Rijksmuseum. Oxen, the castrated bovine males, have long been symbols of patient labor and agricultural abundance. Consider the long history of animal sacrifice and the deep connection of humankind to domesticated animals like the ox. The image of oxen tilling the soil resonates across cultures. From ancient Egypt, where oxen were revered as symbols of strength and fertility, to classical antiquity, where they drew plows in the fields of Demeter, goddess of agriculture. We see the man gently guiding these creatures; the lines are heavy, the image is imbued with the weight of the ages. The scene carries an emotional resonance, touching our collective memory of humanity’s symbiotic relationship with nature. A poignant reminder of the cyclical nature of life, work, and sustenance.