James Ward

Beef

c.1805–15

Image released under Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND (3.0 Unported)

License this image

On loan

National Horseracing Museum (Newmarket, UK): James Ward R.A.: Animal Painting and Ambition

Artist
James Ward 1769–1859
Medium
Oil paint on canvas
Dimensions
Support: 441 x 318 mm
frame: 600 x 500 x 72 mm
Collection
Tate
Acquisition
Purchased 1942
Reference
N05318

Display caption

James Ward was considered to be the greatest animal painter of his day, working with the publisher Boydell on an uncompleted record of the livestock breeds of Britain around 1800. His Gordale Scar (1812?-1814), a vast canvas in the Tate collection, shows a sublime and stormy Yorkshire landscape with a proud white bull apparently protecting his primeval domain. Painted during the Napoleonic Wars it undoubtedly carries a strong patriotic message. This painting of two hanging sides of beef from the same period, while being a Rembrandtesque exercise in the handling of paint, may well have similar connotations. Indeed the heavy 'painterly' quality to the work would have been seen at the time as a particularly British aesthetic trait.

Gallery label, August 2004

Does this text contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? We would like to hear from you.

Explore

You might like

James Ward, ‘Cattle-Piece, ? Marylebone Park’ 1807

James Ward Cattle-Piece, ? Marylebone Park

1807
N01175
James Ward, ‘Gordale Scar (A View of Gordale, in the Manor of East Malham in Craven, Yorkshire, the Property of Lord Ribblesdale)’ ?1812–4, exhibited 1815

James Ward Gordale Scar (A View of Gordale, in the Manor of East Malham in Craven, Yorkshire, the Property of Lord Ribblesdale)

?1812–4, exhibited 1815
N01043
James Ward, ‘A Spaniel Frightening Ducks’ 1821

James Ward A Spaniel Frightening Ducks

1821
N05926
James Ward, ‘Portraits of Blackthorn, a Broodmare, with Old Jack, a Favourite Pony, the Property of E. Mundy, Esq.’ 1812

James Ward Portraits of Blackthorn, a Broodmare, with Old Jack, a Favourite Pony, the Property of E. Mundy, Esq.

1812
T02377
James Ward, ‘The Black Horse’ 1824

James Ward The Black Horse

1824
N05940
James Ward, ‘Sketch for ‘Gordale Scar’’ 1811

James Ward Sketch for ‘Gordale Scar’

1811
N02142

Richard Westall Philip Sansom, Jun., as a Child

date not known
N01414
James Ward, ‘View in Tabley Park’ 1813–8

James Ward View in Tabley Park

1813–8
On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art N00385

Thomas Stothard Peace Came Down upon the Earth

date not known
N02219
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Ploughing Up Turnips, near Slough (‘Windsor’)’ exhibited 1809

Joseph Mallord William Turner Ploughing Up Turnips, near Slough (‘Windsor’)

exhibited 1809
On display at Tate Britain part of Turner Collection N00486
James Ward, ‘Sketch for ‘Gordale Scar’’ c.1811

James Ward Sketch for ‘Gordale Scar’

c.1811
N03703
George Morland, ‘Outside the Ale-House Door’ 1792

George Morland Outside the Ale-House Door

1792
N02639
Joseph Mallord William Turner, ‘Entrance of the Meuse: Orange-Merchant on the Bar, Going to Pieces; Brill Church bearing S. E. by S., Masensluys E. by S.’ exhibited 1819

Joseph Mallord William Turner Entrance of the Meuse: Orange-Merchant on the Bar, Going to Pieces; Brill Church bearing S. E. by S., Masensluys E. by S.

exhibited 1819
On display at Tate Britain part of Turner Collection N00501
James Ward, ‘The Moment’ 1831

James Ward The Moment

1831
On display at Tate Britain part of Walk Through British Art T03440
James Ward, ‘The Deer Stealer’ exhibited 1823

James Ward The Deer Stealer

exhibited 1823
N05972