작품 상세

Arthur Wardle, R.I., R.B.C. (British, 1864-1949), "Mischief-Makers", oil on canvas, signed lower right, titled en verso of canvas, 37-1/2" x 18". Attractively framed. Considered one of the pre-eminent British animal painters of his day, Wardle was a completely self-taught artist. A native of London, he exhibited his first work at the Royal Academy at the young age of sixteen. Acclaimed for his depictions of dogs and exotic animals, Wardle was equally proficient in oil, pastel, and watercolor. Combining a quick, painterly brush stroke with a rich color palette, Wardle created works teeming with a sense of energy. A popular artist for commissions of show and breed dogs, Wardle approached the paintings of individual dogs in much the same way portraitists approached their subjects, with a certain degree of idealization. In comparison to his more rigidly composed compositions of purebred dogs, WardleÆs animal genre scenes have a spirited, almost quixotic, appeal. In the work represented here, he deftly captures the playful quality of the central figure of the collie. His works are in the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Tate Gallery, the Leeds City Art Gallery, and numerous private collections. His paintings and watercolors were used to illustrate several books, including A History and Description of the Collie, Modern Dogs, and Show Dogs. References: Bowron, Rebbert, et al. Best in Show. 2006. New Haven: Yale University Press; Wood. Victorian Painters: Volume II The Text. 1998: Antique Collectors' Club.