|
Oxcarts Art
A popular art form in Costa Rica is the painted carreta (oxcart). Oxcarts were once used to transport coffee beans over mountain roads to waiting ships. The carreta had solid wheels with no spokes. The special wheels cut through the sticky mud covering the roads during the rainy season.
 Costa Rica Oxcart As one story goes, the wife of a cart maker wanted to brighten up her husband's handiwork. She set to work with her paintbrush. Her idea soon spread. Carretas are painted with colorful patterns and shapes, such as flowers and stars. Although tractors, trucks, and trains have replaced oxcarts, artists still paint the colorful wagons. These days carretas are used mostly at parades and festivals. Markets and souvenir stands sell miniature versions, and a museum in Salitral de Desamparados displays its collection of hand-painted carts.
|
Art and Culture 
