Cincinnatus chosen Dictator 

John Leech’s lithograph presents us with the legendary Roman citizen Cincinnatus being interrupted from his simple agricultural life and appointed dictator. The oxen, plowing tools, and humble attire speak to Cincinnatus’s virtue and simplicity – a stark contrast to the trappings of power. This echoes in images throughout history, where the symbolism of the "noble peasant" is meant to evoke moral purity and connection to the land. Think of Millet’s "The Gleaners," where the women gleaning the field embody a similar reverence for hard work and the earth. But observe how the meaning of the plow has morphed through time. From an emblem of humble virtue, it becomes, in Soviet art, a symbol of collectivized labor. The power of the image, however, remains – a powerful force engaging viewers on a deep, subconscious level with the land and its toils. Like a restless spirit, this motif of humble virtue resurfaces throughout history.