Exhibition: ‘Scraps: British Sporting Drawings’ at the VMFA
From the VMFA:
Scraps: British Sporting Drawings from the Paul Mellon Collection
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, 18 June — 18 September 2011
Curated by Corey Piper
Thomas Rowlandson, "The Woolpack Inn, Hungerford, Berkshire," detail, 1796, pencil, pen, ink and watercolor (VMFA: Paul Mellon Collection, 85.1037). Copyright VMFA
Taking its title from a series of drawings and prints by Henry Alken depicting sketches of country life, Scraps: British Sporting Drawings from the Paul Mellon Collection features drawings and watercolors that showcase the passing moments of observation that comprise the rich world of British Sporting Art. Works in the exhibition range from pencil sketches which record the artist’s direct observation of animal subjects to more highly finished works which present a more fully developed vision of sport and country life.
The exhibition offers a broader view of artists well known for their sporting paintings and prints such as Henry Alken, James Seymour, Sawrey Gilpin, Edwin Landseer, James Ward and Thomas Rowlandson and reveals them to be skilled draftsmen as well as keen observers of the natural world and the realm of sport. Drawn entirely from the extensive holdings of works on paper in the Mellon Collection at VMFA, this exhibition offers a rare look into the working methods and personal vision of Britain’s greatest sporting artists. (more…)
Enfilade 
leave a comment