Musée No:737.252
Regular price £15.00Landscape with Deer under "The Beggar's Oak", Bagot's Park
Artist: James Ward
Date: ca. 1820
James Ward (1769–1859) was one of the outstanding artists of his day, his singular style and great skill set him above most of his contemporaries, markedly influencing the growth of British Art. Regarded as one of the great animal painters of his time, James produced history paintings, portraits, landscapes and genre. He started off as an engraver, trained by William, who later engraved much of his work. The partnership of William and James Ward produced the best that English art had to offer, their great technical skill and artistry having led to images that reflect the grace and charm of the era. He was admitted for membership into the Royal Academy in 1811.
The Beggars' Oak was a great tree which stood on the Bagot Estate near Abbots Bromley Staffordshire, a meeting place for travellers. According to 'Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum' in 1838, roughly the same time as the painting, “The roots rise above the ground in a very extraordinary manner, so as to furnish a natural seat for the beggars chancing to pass along the pathway near it.” It was believed to be about 1000 years old when it had to be removed in about the 1940s.