Williamsburg Ox Cart Man

The ox cart leader works in tandem with a driver who sits up on the ox cart itself and steers the big animals. The wagon they haul is normally filled with visitors to Colonial Williamsburg and they walk the circuit slowly, often overtaken by the faster horses and carriages. I was utterly captured by the sunlight across the man's face this early Spring day. As I worked the contrast of the man, as strong and tall as he appeared, really began to contrast in an important way with the power of the animals he works with so confidently. For clarity I actually removed one ox from the final painting, so a person familiar with the yoke and other parts of equipment would know something was "off" but the idea of the power and dignity of the animal combined with the kindness and dignity of their human keeper can be seen.