Gezicht op door ossen getrokken karren op een weg te Roorkee before 1867

This sepia photograph captures a road in Roorkee, with ox-drawn carts, as seen through the lens of Thomas George Glover. The oxen, beasts of burden, are ancient symbols of patience, strength, and provision. In antiquity, we see them revered, like the sacred Apis bull of Egypt, or pulling the chariots of gods in ancient Greece. This image brings to mind the bucolic landscapes of Claude Lorrain, where cattle also symbolize harmony between man and nature. Yet, here, the serene scene is tinged with a sense of colonial presence. The road, methodically lined with trees, speaks to the order imposed on the landscape, a recurring motif in colonial art, subtly alluding to control. The ox, once a symbol of abundance and divine power, is here harnessed, its strength commodified. This photograph isn't merely a depiction; it's an echo of cultural shifts. The cyclical transformation of symbols mirrors our ever-evolving relationship with the world.