Tristram Ellis, a professional artist, arrived in Cyprus in 1878 and stayed for several months to capture the essence of the island, which had recently become a British possession, for the British public.
He later published a book titled Twelve Etchings of the Principal Views and Places of Interest in Cyprus (1879).
During his time on the island, Ellis created over eighty watercolours of Cyprus, which were later exhibited at the Belgian Gallery in London. This particular watercolour, which depicts villagers ploughing and harvesting olives in the background, was also reproduced as an etching in Ellis’ book Twelve Etchings of Cyprus.
In the etching, a male figure uses a long stick to beat olives from the branches, causing them to fall onto a mat, where they are then collected by a woman.
Ploughing is portrayed as an exclusively male occupation, not only due to the physical strength required but also because of the social expectations surrounding the roles of men and women in the division of labour. Unlike sowing and other farming tasks, ploughing holds a primordial significance in the productive process. It's also worth noting that, since ancient times, the use of oxen was reserved for labouring activities, as the animal was not culturally classified as edible.
PNT-00202 > The Oxen, watercolour, Tristram James Ellis (1844-1922), 27 x 35 cm, 1879.
The 'Sneak Peek' series is supported by OPAP (Cyprus).
