Arthur Wardle (British, 1864 -1949). . Shetland Ponies. Undated. Oil on board. Signed with initials on lower left. 1...

Description

Arthur Wardle (British, 1864 -1949)

Shetland Ponies
Undated
Oil on board
Signed with initials on lower left
10-1/2 x 14-1/2 inches (26.7 x 36.8 cm)

Arthur Wardle was a 19th-20th century British artist primarily known for his paintings of dogs and horses. He quickly became well-known, having exhibited at the Royal Academy while still in his teens. Throughout his career Wardle expanded his horizons on painting the animal kingdom; from Africa to India he studied different forms and was able to capture them in an almost photographic quality on canvas.

In Shetland Ponies, Wardle uses rich yet subtle shading in the foreground combining colors to create the field and pool from which the three Shetland ponies are about to drink. The ochre and chocolate brown of the ponies and the field give way to the mountains and sky where the blue of the pool in the foreground is returned to the picture giving it a balance of color while doing so in a realistic, almost unnoticed fashion. It is as if the viewer is seeing the ponies in their native Scottish setting, surprised at one's visit to their field.

Nicely framed in a 3-inch wooden gilt frame.

Condition:
Has a 2.5" long scratch to the upper left quadrant of the painting.

Provenance:
Sporting Gallery, Middleburg, VA (1966)

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