Artwork
Oil monger pressing good oil
Oil monger pressing good oil is a paint painting by the Realist artist Unknown. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
The work portrays a laborer engaged in the extraction of oil, a scene drawn from a larger series of sixteen paintings that each represent a distinct occupation. The composition centers on a man pressing a sizable oil container with a long lever, while two oxen stand nearby and another figure tends a small pot on the ground. Scattered baskets and vessels complete the domestic setting.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures a moment of everyday industry, emphasizing the manual effort required in traditional oil production. By focusing on the physical act of pressing and the presence of supporting animals, the painting highlights the interdependence of human and beast in rural work, offering a straightforward glimpse into the livelihood of a common trade.
Technique & Style
Executed in a restrained palette of browns and beiges, the artist employs muted tones to convey the modesty of the environment. The brushwork renders the wooden platform, metal lever, and animal forms with a calm realism, while the overall composition maintains a balanced, orderly arrangement that underscores the routine nature of the task.
History & Provenance
Created as part of a series documenting various occupations, the piece belongs to the Romantic-era collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The museum acquired the work as part of its effort to preserve representations of 19th‑century daily life and labor.
Artist & collection
Domestic Scene
Giacomo and Cardinal Marco, investing Andrea, Abbot of San Zeno, with his Benefice
The Nymph of Fontainebleau
Portrait of a Woman
Madonna and Child with Saints in the Enclosed Garden
Venus and Minerva
Family Group of Four on Sofa
Wall painting from Room H of the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale
