A popular attraction at the Art Gallery of Ballarat is an 1887 oil painting titled "Henry Stone and his Durham Ox." The artwork features a man in a top hat standing beside an impressively large cow, which often elicits laughter from gallery visitors. However, the title does not fully explain the significance of the painting. This piece is part of a niche genre of art that highlights large livestock, which can be referred to as "Big Cow" paintings.

The artist, Thomas Flintoff, was born in England and later moved to the United States before arriving in Victoria during the gold rush in 1853. He established a photography and painting studio in Ballarat, where he created portraits of local residents before relocating to Melbourne. Near the end of his career, Flintoff painted the 1.2-meter-wide oil piece depicting Henry Stone, a wealthy butcher from Melbourne, alongside a massive red bull. This painting is not merely a novelty; it references a legendary animal from a century earlier.

The tradition of depicting large animals in art dates back to prehistoric times. The famous Lascaux Cave in France features over 30 paintings of bulls, with the largest measuring more than five meters long. While these early artists focused on wild animals, the domestication of cattle began around 10,000 years ago in the Middle East. The connection between large cattle and food production has been recognized throughout history, with the understanding that larger cows yield more meat. The 18th century saw a significant increase in selective breeding and animal science in Europe, leading to the emergence of exceptionally large cattle breeds.

One notable example is the Durham Ox, born in March 1796 on the Ketton Hall estate in England. This early Shorthorn steer was bred for size and is estimated to have weighed over 1,700 kilograms, comparable to the weight of an SUV. During this period, British livestock farming was thriving, aided by the introduction of turnip crops that allowed farmers to feed their herds throughout the winter.

In 1801, the Durham Ox was purchased by John Day, a showman and agriculturalist who toured the animal across the country, generating significant ticket sales. People in the early 19th century were willing to pay to see this remarkable creature, and Day's marketing strategy included commissioning artists to create paintings and prints of the Durham Ox, which circulated widely, even reaching distant colonies.

Flintoff's painting in the Art Gallery of Ballarat serves as a clear homage to the original Durham Ox, indicating that this agricultural icon remained in public memory for over a century. Interestingly, although Flintoff was also a photographer, he was commissioned to paint Stone's bull rather than photograph it. This choice allowed for a more artistic interpretation, reminiscent of earlier agricultural paintings, while also asserting colonial Victoria's connection to its English roots. The landscape depicted in the painting does not resemble modern Australia, further emphasizing this link.

Since its acquisition by the Art Gallery of Ballarat in 1979, "Henry Stone and his Durham Ox" has become a beloved piece among locals and tourists. Contemporary Australian artists have also drawn inspiration from Flintoff's work, incorporating the image of Stone's bull into their own creations. For instance, Joan Ross's 2024 digital collage "Bella Arat" uses Flintoff's Ox to explore the impact of colonialism on the Victorian landscape, while Anna Glynn's 2020 watercolor "Flintoff swallows von Guerard" critiques the history of Australian landscape painting and reflects on the transformation of nature through agriculture over the past two centuries.