Festus Yayple and his Oxen

Festus Yayple and his Oxen — George Ault. 1946.

Medium: oil on canvas. Dimensions: Framed: 76.2 x 105.4 x 6.4 cm (30 x 41 1/2 x 2 1/2 in.); Unframed: 61.6 x 91.4 cm (24 1/4 x 36 in.).

Collection record: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland. Museum connection according to this source; current display unverified.

Cleveland-born George Ault spent his final years in rural Woodstock, New York, where he befriended local laborers such as ox-trader Festus Yayple. As typical of the artist’s work, this canvas infuses an aura of loneliness and beauty into the everyday world. The austere calm of the painting's composition contrasts with Ault's personal life. During this time he lived in poverty, with failing eyesight, alcoholism, and ill health.

Source: official collection record. Metadata selected and normalized by Artline from the source export, accessed 10 September 2026; no museum endorsement. Reproduction rights are separate.