Ploegende paarden en ossen 1885

Richard Lorenz created this print of horses and oxen ploughing a field, likely during the late 19th or early 20th century. Lorenz lived through a period of intense industrialization, and this artwork may reflect a yearning for a pre-industrial, agrarian way of life. The print presents a scene of manual labor. Two figures are depicted alongside the animals, working the land with simple tools. The labor of the animals is central here, and we might consider what it means to harness animal power for human ends. The scene may evoke feelings of nostalgia or a sense of the deep connection between humans and nature. How does this image speak to the complex relationship between progress, labor, and our environment?