The Oxcart 1870 - 1875

Editor: This is Anton Mauve's "The Oxcart," a watercolor at the Harvard Art Museums. It feels quite somber, with those muted colors. What strikes you about this piece? Curator: It's interesting to consider Mauve's work within the broader context of landscape painting at the time. How does this portrayal of rural life, the oxcart as a symbol of labor, speak to the societal shifts occurring then? Editor: I guess it’s a pretty honest depiction of the hard work that went into food production. Curator: Exactly. Think about the rise of industrialization and urbanization. Paintings like these helped shape and perhaps romanticize perceptions of rural life for a growing urban audience. What do you make of that relationship? Editor: So the painting isn't just about the cart, but about the viewers and their ideals? Curator: Precisely. Art plays a role in constructing those ideals and shaping our understanding of society. I will definitely keep that in mind.