Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 6

Arthur Wardle
Antique Portrait of a Bulldog: "Big Ben" by Arthur Wardle (England, 1864-1949)

Circa 1900

About the Item

Antique Dog Portrait of a Bulldog "Big Ben in Garden" Arthur Wardle (England, 1864-1949) Pastel on paper Circa 1900 13 x 9 inches Though he made his reputation with large-scale oils, Wardle is now remembered for his pastels, Christopher Wood considering them ‘probably his best medium … in which he made many wonderful studies of animals’ (The Dictionary of Victorian Painters, Woodbridge: Antique Collectors’ Club, 1978, page 498). Indeed, these were praised as early as 1916, in an article in The Studio magazine, as ‘more than just things seen, they are felt and understood, and they have the subtle spirit which comes only in the interpretation of an artist who is himself in sympathy with the curious personalities which are presented to him’. He had the supernatural ability to render texture, color, light & shade, capturing all spontaneously and accurately with each aspect serving to symbolize his deep empathy and relationship to his subjects. For the lovers of canines, Arthur Wardle is one of the pre-eminent painters of dogs that England has produced. Biographical detail: Born in 1864 and evidently self-taught-having not attended art school-Arthur Wardle exhibited his first painting in the Royal Academy in 1880, at the age of only sixteen. Until retirement in 1935, Wardle had over one hundred of his works were accepted by the Academy; he also exhibited with the Society of British Artists, and in 1931 had a solo show at the Fine Art Society. He became a member of the Pastel Society in 1911, and of the Royal Institute of Watercolours, and the Royal British Colonial Society of Artists from 1922. He was similarly versatile with his subjects, which (although they were mainly animals) included almost every species, from the exotic, to the domestic as well as farm animals. For the first ten years of his career, however, he produced mainly landscapes; it was about 1890 that his extraordinary ability to depict any animal which moved became apparent, and from that point forward he concentrated on animal-painting – particularly big cats and domestic dogs. His submissions to the Academy cleverly included not only these straightforward studies of creatures within landscape settings, hunting, playing or resting, but also mythological subjects which combined animals with the classical gods, thus investing his subjects with the respectability of history painting. Examples include The flute of Pan (Christie’s, 1996) and The enchantress (Christie’s, 1997). Pastel painting acquired a new lease of life from the 1890s, and Wardle was profoundly taken with the medium. Pastels made it possible for him to produce rapid studies of creatures in constant motion, and to do so in pure colors on tinted paper; some of his best work is in this medium. Animal Painter renowned for his Dog Portraits and one of the pre-eminent animal and sporting painters of his generation. He became very popular with the public for his oil paintings of dogs, particularly terriers; he worked for dog breeders, immortalizing their champions, and was also commissioned to produce designs for cigarette cards, book illustrations, postcards, and boxes of chocolates. He famously created a poster for recruitment during WWI. Wardle eventually settled in St John’s Wood, London so that he was close to London Zoo. This is where most of his initial studies were made with the addition of his collection of animal skeletons and models. Works by Arthur Wardle can be found in numerous museums from London to New Zealand to Wyoming and beyond.
  • Creator:
    Arthur Wardle (1864-1949, British)
  • Creation Year:
    Circa 1900
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 9 in (22.86 cm)Width: 13 in (33.02 cm)
  • Medium:
    Acrylic,Pastel,Laid Paper
  • Movement & Style:
    Realist
  • Period:
    1900-1909
  • Condition:
    The painting has been newly framed and is excellent condition.
  • Gallery Location:
    SANTA FE, NM
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU1408212224272
More From This SellerView All
  • Antique Painting of a Hunting Dog Jules Chardigny (1849-1892) Circa 1870
    Located in SANTA FE, NM
    Antique Painting of a Hunting Dog Jules Chardigny (1849-1892) Circa 1870 Oil on paper. 8 x 6 (18 1/2 x 15 1/4 frame) inches The dog, possibly a Grand Griffon Vendéen, is depicted wi...
    Category

    1860s Realist Animal Paintings

    Materials

    Oil, Laid Paper

    Antique Painting of a Hunting Dog Jules Chardigny (1849-1892) Circa 1870

    Jules Chardigny
    Antique Painting of a Hunting Dog Jules Chardigny (1849-1892) Circa 1870

  • Antique Dog Portrait of "Mignonne" dated 1876 by Louis Eugène Bourgeois
    Located in SANTA FE, NM
    Antique Dog Painting of "Mignonne" dated 1876 Louis Eugène Bourgeois (French 1831-1878) Pastel on cardboard Signed lower left "E. Bourgeois" Inscribed upper right "Mignonne." Rever...
    Category

    1870s Realist Animal Paintings

    Materials

    Pastel, Cardboard

    Antique Dog Portrait of "Mignonne" dated 1876 by Louis Eugène Bourgeois

    Louis Eugène Bourgeois
    Antique Dog Portrait of "Mignonne" dated 1876 by Louis Eugène Bourgeois, 1876

  • Portrait of a Monkey with Wine Jug, Zacharias Noterman (Bel. Fr. 1824-1890)
    By Zacharias Noterman
    Located in SANTA FE, NM
    Portrait of a Monkey with Wine Jug Zacharias Noterman (Belgium & France 1824-1890) Initialed "Z N" l.r. Oil on board 8 x 6 inches PROVENANCE: Galerie Tamenaga, Paris (label verso); Louvre des Antiquaires, Paris; Berman Swarttz, Los Angeles, California, Marcella Swarttz, Beverly Hills, California     8 x 6 inches Zacharias Notermann (1820 in Ghent – 1890 in Paris) was a Belgian painter and printmaker who specialized in scenes with monkeys engaging in human activities (the so-called singeries), as well as in paintings of dogs. He also produced images and scenes of traveling circuses. Zacharias Noterman was born in Ghent in the family as the son of an artist-decorator. He was originally trained by his older brother Emmanuel Noterman, genre and animal painter active in Antwerp. Noterman continued his art education at the Academy of fine arts Antwerp. Zacharie Noterman...
    Category

    Mid-19th Century Realist Animal Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil, Board

    Portrait of a Monkey with Wine Jug, Zacharias Noterman (Bel. Fr. 1824-1890)

    Zacharias Noterman
    Portrait of a Monkey with Wine Jug, Zacharias Noterman (Bel. Fr. 1824-1890)

  • Antique Cat Painting "Cat with Butterfly in a Meadow" Arthur Heyer 1872-1931
    By Arthur Heyer
    Located in SANTA FE, NM
    Antique Cat Painting "Cat with Butterfly in a Meadow" Arthur Heyer 1872-1931 Oil on canvas Signed lower right "Heyer A." 25 1/2 x 21 (29 1/4 x 3...
    Category

    Early 1900s Realist Animal Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

    Antique Cat Painting "Cat with Butterfly in a Meadow" Arthur Heyer 1872-1931

    Arthur Heyer
    Antique Cat Painting "Cat with Butterfly in a Meadow" Arthur Heyer 1872-1931

  • Antique Painting of a Dog: "Red Terrier" circa 1910, European School
    Located in SANTA FE, NM
    Antique painting a of a dog "Red Terrier" Possibly Dutch School Oil on wood panel, circa 1910 Initialed lower left 7 1/2 x 7 (12 x 11 1/2 frame) inches  A charming and thoughtfully...
    Category

    Early 1900s Realist Animal Paintings

    Materials

    Oil, Wood Panel

    Antique Painting of a Dog: "Red Terrier" circa 1910, European School

    Antique Painting of a Dog: "Red Terrier" circa 1910, European School, Circa 1910

  • Antique Dog Portrait: "Mops" a Seated Pug, Norbert Schrödl (Vienna, 1842-1912)
    Located in SANTA FE, NM
    "Mops" Antique Dog Portrait of a Seated Pug Norbert Schrödl (Vienna, 1842-1912) Oil on canvas, lined, signed and dated lower left Norbert Schrö...
    Category

    1870s Realist Animal Paintings

    Materials

    Canvas, Oil

    Antique Dog Portrait: "Mops" a Seated Pug, Norbert Schrödl (Vienna, 1842-1912)

    Norbert Schrödl
    Antique Dog Portrait: "Mops" a Seated Pug, Norbert Schrödl (Vienna, 1842-1912), 1870

You May Also Like

Recently Viewed

View All

More Ways To Browse

In Laid
Painting Of New England
1949 Paintings
1949 Painting
Antique Society
Painting Of London England
New England Antiques
Antique Laid
New England Light
A Bigger Book
Antique New England Art
Oil Royal England
Painting Gardens London
Painters Box
Ten Works Ten Painters
Ten Works By Ten Painters
Farm Animals
Spirit Animals
View All Popular Portrait Paintings Searches