One Ox Hauling Logs Maud Lewis

A single ox hauls a laden sled in this wintry scene by renowned Nova Scotia folk artist Maud Lewis (1903-1970). This painting was acquired from a collector in Halifax, whose mother acquired the painting directly from Maud Lewis. On the back of the work, it reads, “Painted and purchased, 1964, $4.00”.  These serial image works by Maud are typical of this time period, sometimes painted with one ox, and sometimes two. Note the snow in the foreground of the painting but not on the hills in the background – this works well in a Maud Lewis painting, but is not a scene we would see in reality. These deliberate deviations from reality by Maud are what make her paintings so distinct and her sense of composition so clear. Maud would not spoil a pleasing composition by conforming to the constraints of the world as we know it.