Artwork
Cart with Red and White Ox
Cart with Red and White Ox is an oil painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Vincent van Gogh. It dates from 1884 and is held in the collection of the Kröller-Müller Museum.
About this work
Overview
Vincent van Gogh’s oil work titled *Cart with Red and White Ox* dates from 1884, placing it among his early Dutch period pieces. The canvas is part of the collection at the Kröller‑Müller Museum in Otterlo, Netherlands, and is often discussed alongside a companion work featuring a black ox.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a wooden farm cart drawn by a pair of oxen, one predominantly red and the other white, their horns prominent against a muted, earthy ground. The scene captures a moment of rural labor, emphasizing the sturdy relationship between animal and implement in a simple, agrarian setting.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting relies on a limited palette of reds, whites, browns and deep shadows. Van Gogh builds texture through thick brushstrokes, especially in the fur of the oxen and the grain of the cart’s wood, creating a tactile surface that contrasts with the darker background.
History & Provenance
Created four years before Van Gogh’s departure for the south of France, the work reflects his formative interest in Dutch peasant life. It entered the Kröller‑Müller Museum’s holdings in the 20th century, while a closely related piece, *Cart with a Black Ox*, resides in the Portland Art Museum.
Artist & collection
Artist
Vincent Willem van Gogh was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who is among the most famous and influential figures in the history of Western art.
