Landscape with a Cart Pulled by Oxen 1846

Charles Jacque created this landscape with a cart pulled by oxen using etching in the 19th century. Jacque was a French painter and printmaker known particularly for his pastoral scenes. During this time, rural life was often romanticized in art, yet it's important to remember the backbreaking labor that defined agricultural work for many, especially those in the peasant class. Jacque himself came from a humble background, giving him a unique perspective into this world. Note how the oxen strain under the heavy load, their muscles tense. The figures accompanying the cart are stooped, their faces obscured, suggesting a life of toil and hardship. Consider too, how the landscape itself is rendered: vast and somewhat unforgiving, highlighting the relationship between the workers and their environment. The emotional depth of this image resides in its ability to evoke a sense of empathy for those whose lives were intimately tied to the land.