James Ward (artist)

James Ward (23 October 1769 – 17 November 1859) was a painter, particularly of animals, and an engraver.

Biography

Born in London, and younger brother of William Ward the engraver, James Ward was influenced by many people, but his career is conventionally divided into two periods: until 1803, his single greatest influence was his brother in law George Morland; from that time, it was Rubens. From 1810 or so, Ward started to paint horses within landscapes; slightly later, he turned to very large-scale landscapes, of which "Gordale Scar" (Tate Gallery, London), completed in 1814 or 1815 and depicting Gordale Scar (Yorkshire) as an example of the sublime, is considered his masterpiece.

Ward devoted much of the period 1815-1821 to the painting of a gigantic work titled "Waterloo Allegory" (now lost); this neither was much praised nor brought in the revenue Ward had hoped for. The experience may have embittered him, and the deaths of his first wife and a daughter were among other tragedies. Like many artists of the time, Ward sought commissions from wealthy gentry of their favorite horses or their children.

One such family that Ward painted and drew repeatedly, and whom he counted among his friends, were the Levett family of Staffordshire. One of Ward's best-known portraits was his "Theophilus Levett Hunting at Wychnor, Staffordshire" of 1817. [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E06EFD9103DF933A05754C0A9629C8B63&sec=&spon=&pagewanted=all The New York Times, Grace Glueck, July 30, 2004] ] Ward also painted a group portrait of three Levett children -- John, Theophilus and Frances Levett. [ [http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_details.aspx?intObjectID=4020490 Group Portrait of John, Theophilus and Frances Levett, James Ward, November 1811, Christie's, christies.com] ] (For the Levetts, see link to the Ward exhibit at the Yale Center for British Art.) [ [http://books.google.com/books?id=oxIEAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA232&lpg=PA232&dq=%22theophilus+levett%22&source=web&ots=DCbobeeDc2&sig=k4RfM7v3YYOdWwCnqlfXevFthO4&hl=en#PPA232,M1 Animal Painters of England from the Year 1650, Walter Gilbey, 1900] ]

In 1830, Ward moved to Cheshunt (Hertfordshire) with his second wife, but he continued to work, particularly on religious themes. A stroke in 1855 ended his work, and he died in poverty.

James Ward was one of the outstanding artists of the 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.

Family

James was the son of James and Rachael Ward. He was first married to Charlotte Fritche, and then to Emma Louise Ward in 1807.James Ward and Emma Louise Ward had children

#Matilda Ward
#George Raphael Ward, b. 1798, d. 1879 [ [http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/n/i/s/Patrick-T-Nisbett/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-0154.html Patrick T Nisbett] ]

James Ward was the paternal grandfather of Leslie Ward, the "Vanity Fair" caricaturist.

Further reading

*Beckett, Oliver. "The Life and Work of James Ward, RA." Book Guild, 1995.
*Farr, Dennis. "James Ward 1769–1859." London: Arts Council, 1960.
*Frankau, Julia. "Eighteenth century artists and engravers: William Ward A.R.A., James Ward R.A.: Their Lives and Works." London: Macmillan, 1904.
*Fussell, G. E. "James Ward R.A., Animal Painter 1769–1859 and His England." London: Michael Joseph, 1974. ISBN 0-7181-1242-3
*Grundy, Reginald. "James Ward, R.A.: His Life and Works with a Catalogue of his Engravings and Pictures." London, 1909. (An extra number of "The Connoisseur".)
*Nygren, Edward J. "James Ward's "Gordale Scar": An Essay in the Sublime." London: Tate, 1982. ISBN 0-905005-93-7

References

* Murray, P. & L. (1996). "Dictionary of art and artists" London: Penguin Books. ISBN 0-14-051300-0. p. 557.

External links

* [http://www.sgallery.net/news/06_2004/07.html James Ward at the Yale Center for British Art ]
* [http://www.artfact.com/catalog/viewLot.cfm?lotCode=Nt1t0yah&lotType=artist&aID=21951 Group Portrait of John, Theophilus and Frances Levett ]

ee also

*List of British artists