.jpg?w=1)
Lot Essay
In the first two decades of this century Arthur Wardle was one of the best-known contemporary British animal painters. He portrayed an astonishing diversity of subjects with an engaging naturalism and displayed a superb command of different media. Unlike most British animal and sporting artists who restricted themselves to horse and hound, deer and domesticated beasts, Wardle both drew and painted every mammal from elephant to mouse - in watercolour, pastel and oils.
Although Wardle's reputation was made with his large mythological paintings, his most individual work was in pastel which underwent a revival in Britain in the 1890s. Inspired by French art, many leading British artists had experimented successfully with pastel, leading to the foundation of the Pastel Society. Wardle was elected a member in 1911. Baldry commented, 'He has a brilliant appreciation of the genius of pastel ... He uses it with delightful dexterity.' (A.L. Baldry, The Studio, July 1916, vol.68).
It is thought that Wardle was completely self-taught. His first work was accepted for exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1880 when he was just sixteen and was titled, Study of Cattle on the banks of the Thames. His first major work to feature wild animals was entitled Panthers Resting and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1891. From this point on, the exotic animal became a key element in many of his Academy exhibits, such as Leopards Drinking (1896); The Tiger Pool (1897); Jaguar and Macaw (1899); Puma and Turkey (1902); Startled (1909); Lions: sunset (1913); Indian Leopards (1916); Snow Leopards: the flush of evening (1921) and A Jungle Story (1936).
Wardle derived additional inspiration from mythological and literary subjects and would incorporate his exotic animals into these works as well, for example, A Bacchante (R.A. 1909) and Forest Lovers (R.A. 1917). The present picture combines the mythological and the exotic; the intoxicating decadence of the encounter between the beautiful woman and leopards is reinforced by the saturated colours and luxurious textures.
Although Wardle's reputation was made with his large mythological paintings, his most individual work was in pastel which underwent a revival in Britain in the 1890s. Inspired by French art, many leading British artists had experimented successfully with pastel, leading to the foundation of the Pastel Society. Wardle was elected a member in 1911. Baldry commented, 'He has a brilliant appreciation of the genius of pastel ... He uses it with delightful dexterity.' (A.L. Baldry, The Studio, July 1916, vol.68).
It is thought that Wardle was completely self-taught. His first work was accepted for exhibition at the Royal Academy in 1880 when he was just sixteen and was titled, Study of Cattle on the banks of the Thames. His first major work to feature wild animals was entitled Panthers Resting and was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1891. From this point on, the exotic animal became a key element in many of his Academy exhibits, such as Leopards Drinking (1896); The Tiger Pool (1897); Jaguar and Macaw (1899); Puma and Turkey (1902); Startled (1909); Lions: sunset (1913); Indian Leopards (1916); Snow Leopards: the flush of evening (1921) and A Jungle Story (1936).
Wardle derived additional inspiration from mythological and literary subjects and would incorporate his exotic animals into these works as well, for example, A Bacchante (R.A. 1909) and Forest Lovers (R.A. 1917). The present picture combines the mythological and the exotic; the intoxicating decadence of the encounter between the beautiful woman and leopards is reinforced by the saturated colours and luxurious textures.