Yellow Oxen – Trevelyan, Julian

Oxen are a recurring theme in this British artist’s work. He wrote of a similar work in 1955, ‘My Oxen was the final picture of a series of paintings I made in Italy and in my studio in 1954 following a holiday staying with friends in a villa in the country near Siena. I made many drawings of oxen ploughing, hauling and being shod… I have also made an etching of more or less the same composition’. Trevelyan (1910 – 1988) produced many variations on the theme of oxen and five artworks were included in an exhibition at the Zwemmer Gallery, London, October-November 1955, where he exhibited with Kathleen Allen. A similar painting, ‘Oxen’ (1955) is in the Tate. From 1955 to 1963, Trevelyan worked at the Royal College of Art and became Head of the Etching Department. Because of his enthusiasm in his work and the desire to share it with others, Trevelyan became a highly influential teacher with students including David Hockney, Ron Kitaj and Norman Ackroyd. He was an important leader of modern print techniques and today is regarded as a silent driving force behind the etching revolution of the 1960s. Two gallery labels to the verso. Sold by Ian Mc Vitie Weston in 1959 and by the Zwemmer Gallery at a later date to Lady Wyatt. Size: framed 52 x 36.8cm. Image: 37,5 x 22,4cm

Date Published: 1959

Condition: Very good. Some loss to the edges of the board.