A Bull; An Ox (about 1250 - 1260) by UnknownThe J. Paul Getty Museum
The ox in art has a long and rich history spanning countries and cultures. Because it’s such a common, quiet animal, it often symbolizes humility, peace, simplicity. But the huge, imposing bulk of a healthy cow can also be a statement of wealth and power.
As this 13th century bestiary from the North of England shows, cattle can dominate a frame and be expressive figures. Elsewhere, they chew the cud and function as peaceful points in a landscape.
2021 is the Chinese Year of the Metal Ox, symbolizing sturdiness, strength, and dependability. To celebrate, scroll on and discover 5 stupendous oxen from art history!
Herdboy and ox (1980) by Li KeranHong Kong Museum of Art
1. Herdboy and Ox (1980), Li Keran
In Zen tradition, the Ox is a metaphor for the mind. In a popular Ming Dynasty text by Zen Master Puming, ‘Ode to 10 Bulls’, the herding of cattle was used as an image for the quieting of the mind, and control over the self.
Li Keran, a modern chinese painter with an eye for tradition, favored the ox motif, and here the boy’s contemplative, philosophical mood is literally supported by the cow upon which he leans.
Nativity (1960) by Candido PortinariProjeto Portinari
2. Nativity (1960), Candido Portinari
In Western religious tradition, the lowly cow, usually with its head dipped as though praying, is always present at the birth of Christ. Humble, quiet, and submissive, it’s a symbol of christian virtue. Brazilian painter, Candido Portinari, saw things a little differently.
His cow stands upright, basking in the technicolor glory of the newborn Jesus. It’s a funky, neo-realistic take on a new energy being born into the world, and the cow stands in for us, the viewer, taking strength from faith and light.
Cow's Skull: Red, White, and Blue (1931) by Georgia O'KeeffeThe Metropolitan Museum of Art
3. Cow’s Skull: Red, White, & Blue (1931), Georgia O’Keeffe
Although slightly more morbid, O’Keeffe’s cow skull is also a symbol of power and strength. O’Keeffe visited the deserts of New Mexico in 1929, and eventually moved there permanently in 1949.
For her, the desert was a rugged zone of endurance and beauty when compared with the muddled, mutable business of her native New York City.
Landscape with a Calm (1650 - 1651)The J. Paul Getty Museum
4. Landscape With a Calm (1651), Nicolas Poussin
Somehow, Poussin’s grand, hushed scene wouldn’t be quite as calm without the herd of lazy cattle which seem to flow like cloud or liquid across the midground of the painting.
You can almost hear their legs swishing through the shallow water, giving the scene a feeling of everyday peace.
The cows are certainly a counterpoint to the painting’s one dramatic detail, a boy on a horse rushing out of the extreme left of the frame.
Ajax (1936-37) by John Steuart CurrySmithsonian American Art Museum
5. Ajax (1937), John Steuart Curry
Curry painted robust scenes of heartland America, emphasizing a homely kind of freedom. His enormous cow, called Ajax, has four sturdy legs, an immense head, and a thick tail, all seemingly rooted in the American earth.
The shape of the ox is mirrored by the columns of cloud behind him, and the two tiny birds emphasize his massive scale. Curry’s vision was all about earth and the horizon, and Ajax the ox was the perfect symbol to combine the two.
Oxen (1931) by Xu BeihongCAFA Art Museum
2021 may be The Year of the Ox, but the Chinese Zodiac is a tradition spanning thousands of years and many different symbolic creatures. Learn more here.
