Sylvannus - The Welsh Western Series

Welsh Drover — Oil on Canvas

Oil on canvas, 2013
100 × 120 × 4.5 cm

This painting brings together two very different cultural icons: the legendary American cowboy and the largely forgotten Welsh drover.

Livestock droving has a long history across Europe, with traditions stretching back for around a thousand years or more, and Welsh drovers played an important role in Welsh rural life and the economy for centuries. They drove cattle and other livestock over great distances to markets, often travelling hundreds of miles on foot.

By comparison, the era of the classic American cowboy was relatively brief, particularly the period of the great cattle drives that has become so familiar through popular culture. Yet the cowboy has been transformed into one of the most recognisable figures in the world, immortalised through films, posters, television and popular mythology.

In this work, I deliberately borrow the visual language of the classic Western film poster—the cowboy hat, cigar, dramatic portrait and bold lettering—and give it to a Welsh drover. The result is a playful but purposeful hybrid: a Welsh cowboy who never got his film.

Made in 2013, the painting explores ideas of cultural memory, identity and the way popular culture can turn an occupation into a legend. It asks why a relatively short-lived chapter of North American history created such a powerful international icon, while a much older European tradition—and the Welsh drover in particular—has remained comparatively obscure.

Shipping: Shipping is not included in the purchase price. Due to the size and nature of the original artwork, shipping will be arranged separately with the purchaser after the painting has been purchased. I will contact you after purchase to discuss the delivery arrangements and cost before shipping.

A substantial original oil painting exploring Welsh history, cultural identity and the contrasting ways in which different cultures create—and remember—their heroes.