Artwork
Oxen Plowing
Oxen Plowing is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Ettore Tito. It dates from 1911 and is held in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1911, *Oxen Plowing* is an oil painting by Venetian artist Ettore Tito. The work portrays a rural labor scene in which a pair of light‑brown oxen, marked with white patches, pull a plow across a field under a cloudy sky. A lone figure in a hat stands behind the animals, directing them with a whip, emphasizing the physical effort of agricultural work.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on the oxen, presenting them as the primary agents of the landscape’s transformation. Their muscular stance and the attendant farmer suggest a narrative of human‑animal cooperation and the endurance required for tillage. The subdued atmosphere, conveyed through muted tones and an overcast sky, reinforces a sense of perseverance rather than romanticized pastoral idyll.
Technique & Style
Tito employs a post‑impressionist palette, balancing loose brushwork with defined forms to capture both the texture of the fur and the weight of the soil. The handling of light is restrained, allowing the cloudy backdrop to diffuse illumination across the scene. This approach reflects the period’s shift from pure impressionism toward a more structured, expressive representation of everyday life.
History & Provenance
Ettore Tito, who taught painting at Venice’s Accademia di Belle Arti from 1894 until 1927, produced the canvas during a prolific phase of documenting contemporary Venetian life. *Oxen Plowing* entered the collection of the Brooklyn Museum, where it remains part of the institution’s holdings of early‑20th‑century European art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ettore Tito (17 December 1859 – 26 June 1941) was an Italian artist particularly known for his paintings of contemporary life and landscapes in Venice and the surrounding region.
