RE Sugar Cane Harvest

Réunion Island

This page is all about the hard work of sugar cane harvesting in Réunion Island, whether the labour be that of men or of their oxen. The scenes painted below were observed between 1996 and 2004, at the last place where ox-drawn carts would be used for transporting sugar cane. The place is known as Balance Cocos,  (Coconut Weighbridge in English) and is just to the east of Saint-Louis.

Watercolour of a sugar cane farmer with an ox-drawn cart loaded with sugar cane, "Charrette cannes," by William Walkington
Charrette cannes
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour of a sugar cane farmer with an ox-drawn cart loaded with cane, "Saint-Louis en novembre," by William Walkington
Saint-Louis en novembre
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.
Chosen for a postcard illustration by the editor Agedis. The above reproduction is a scan of the postcard.

Watercolour of an ox waiting for its cart to be loaded in the sugar cane plantation, "Ah, voila toi!" by William Walkington
Ah, voila toi!
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour portrait of a sugar cane famer and his ox, waiting for the cart to be loaded, "L'équipe," by William Walkington
L'équipe
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour of a sugar cane cutter gathering cane to load the waiting ox-drawn cart, "Champ cannes," by William Walkington
Champ cannes
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour of a sugar cane farmer standing on his ox-drawn cart and loading sticks of cane, by William Walkington in 1996
Chargement sous le soleil
Watercolour, 23.5 x 33.2 cms, signed Walkington and dated 96. Private Collection.

Watercolour of a sugar cane farmer and his ox-drawn cart in a field of sugar cane, "Récolte matinale," by William Walkington
Récolte matinale
Watercolour, 28.3 x 38.5 cms, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour of two ox-drawn carts heavily laden with sugar cane, "Charrettes à bœuf," by William Walkington
Charrettes à bœuf
Watercolour, 9.5 x 13.5cms, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Blurred photograph of a watercolour of a sugar cane farmer with his ox-drawn cart, "Chargement matinal," by William Walkington
Chargement matinal
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.
Please note that this is a scan of a distant blurred photo of the framed original, and that much detail is lost!

Watercolour of a group of three sugar cane cutters in action, "Les coupeurs," by William Walkington
Les coupeurs
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.
Chosen for a postcard illustration by the editor Agedis. The above reproduction is a scan of the postcard.

Watercolour of a sugar cane cutter at work in the blazing sun, "La coupe des cannes," by William Walkington in 1996
La coupe des cannes
Watercolour, 9.5 x 13.5 cms, signed Walkington and dated 96. Private Collection.

Watercolour of a sugar cane cutter hallucinating under the blazing sun, Watercolour of a sugar cane cutter hallucinating in the blazing sun, "La nymphe des cannes," by William Walkington
La nymphe des cannes
Watercolour, 29 x 39 cms, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour portrait of a sugar cane cutter taking a welcome cigarette break after his work, "La pause," by William Walkington
La pause
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour portrait of a sugar cane farmer and his yoked ox, "Joe et son bœuf," by William Walkington
Joe et son bœuf
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour portrait of a sugar cane farmer in his field of sugar cane, "Cultivateur de cannes," by William Walkington
Cultivateur de cannes
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour portrait of a sugar cane farmer in his field of sugar cane, "En bleu de travail," by William Walkington
En bleu de travail
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour portrait of the foreman of a sugar cane plantation supervising the cutters, "Contremaître," by William Walkington
Contremaître
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour portrait of an ageing creole sugar cane cutter taking a break, "Coupeur cannes," by William Walkington
Coupeur cannes
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour portrait of a sugar cane farmer shaded by the rim of his hat, "L'ombre du chapeau," by William Walkington
L'ombre du chapeau
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Portrait of a sugar cane farmer guiding his heavily-laden ox-drawn cart along a track, "Charretier," by William Walkington
Charretier
Watercolour, 34.5 x 22.5 cms, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour of an ox being tied up in an open stall, ready to be reshoed by the smith, "Le bœuf," by William Walkington
Le bœuf
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour of a smith reshoeing an ox, which is safely secured in an open stall, "Le maréchal-ferrant," by William Walkington
Le maréchal-ferrant
Watercolour, 23.5 x 33.5 cms, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.
Photographed through the glazing of the framed original.

Watercolour of a sugar cane farmer resting in the shade, while his ox-drawn cart is waiting, "Le repos," by William Walkington
Le repos
Watercolour, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.
Chosen for a postcard illustration by the editor Agedis.

Watercolour of a creole man walking down a track, carrying sugar cane on his shoulder, "En voyage," by William Walkington
En voyage
Watercolour, 29 x 38.5 cms, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Watercolour of a sugar cane farmer standing on his ox-drawn cart, returning home, "Charrette retour," by William Walkington
Charrette retour
Watercolour, 26.5 x 22.5 cms, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.

Black and white scan of a watercolour of a sugar cane cutter at work, "Le coupeur au travail," by William Walkington in 1996
Le coupeur au travail
Watercolour, 9.25 x 13.25 cms, signed Walkington and dated 96. Private Collection
This is the scan of a photocopy, and if possible, an alternative colour photograph would be much appreciated.

Black and white scan of a watercolour of a sugar cane cutter picking up cane for loading, "A la ramasse," by William Walkington
A la ramasse
Watercolour, 24 x 33.5 cms, signed Walkington and undated. Private Collection.
This painting can be compared to "Champ Cannes" displayed above, but here the scene is slightly different.
This is the scan of a photocopy, and if possible, an alternative colour photograph would be much appreciated.

Black and white scan of a watercolour of a sugar cane cutter loading the cart, "Au chargement" by William Walkington in 1996
Au chargement
Watercolour, 24 x 34 cms, signed Walkington and dated 96. Private Collection.
This is the scan of a photocopy, and if possible, an alternative colour photograph would be much appreciated.

Black and white scan of a watercolour of a evenly-loaded ox-drawn cart, "Le chargement équilibré," by William Walkington in 1996
Le chargement équilibré
Watercolour, signed Walkington and dated 96. Private Collection.
This is the scan of a photocopy, and if possible, an alternative colour photograph would be much appreciated.

A missing painting?

Should you possess a watercolour that you cannot find here but you think should be on this page, please refer to the section about missing paintings in "Other Information."


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