Ploeg met twee paarden en een os 1778 - 1830

Johan Jakob Biedermann created this drawing, "Ploeg met twee paarden en een os," using pen and paper. The neutral tone and relatively low contrast of the pen strokes create an airy atmospheric, softened by the paper's surface texture. Note how the composition is structured around a horizontal axis. The plowing action is emphasized by the parallel alignment of the animals and the furrows in the field. The interplay between the animals, and the plowman evokes a sense of dynamic tension—a system of forces. This tension is what elevates the work beyond a mere depiction of rural life. Biedermann uses the semiotic system of signs—the animals, the plow, and the human figure. These aren't just objects. They are cultural codes, signifying labor, cultivation, and the symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. The horizontal orientation of the work and the spatial depth achieved through linear perspective also reflect a broader artistic concern with representing space.