Ossenkarren op een weg tussen de bergen in het kanton Sankt Gallen 1871 - 1877

Charles Rochussen made this watercolor of ox carts on a road in the Swiss canton of St. Gallen. The image encapsulates the shifts in transportation and economy that were reshaping Switzerland, and Europe more broadly, at the time. The ox carts are central to this image. In the mid-19th century, Switzerland was undergoing significant infrastructural development to facilitate trade and connect disparate regions. The ox carts symbolize an older mode of transport, gradually being superseded by railways and more efficient systems. Rochussen's choice to depict them here raises questions about labor, progress, and the changing relationship between humans and the landscape. The dramatic landscape in this watercolor reminds us that Switzerland's geography has always presented unique challenges to development. As historians, we can delve into municipal records, trade statistics, and travel accounts to understand the complex interplay between tradition and modernity that Rochussen captures here. The image’s meaning lies in the social and institutional transformations it reflects.