Joseph Crawhall... And Two Mochas, Please

Today I actually did something cultured with my weekend for once.  It did not involve bicycles (too icy).  And miracle of miracle, it did not involve computers and writing books.

It came to my attention about a week ago that the Burrell Collection was hosting a temporary exhibition over the winter devoted to my favourite artist, Joseph Crawhall (1861-1913).  He's one of the Glasgow Boys, best remembered for his animal paintings, and William Burrell was particularly keen on acquiring his artworks.  This is great, because it means I've got one of the world's best collections of Crawhall on my doorstep. 

I'm especially fond of Crawhall's equine paintings.  I think he does the best horse portraits in the world, ever, full stop.  Okay, maybe I'll concede that Crawhall's skills are rivalled by the sculptor whose hand carved the Elgin Marbles, but hey, that's a different medium, so stuff it, I refuse to make comparisons! 

Now, I'd just like to make it clear at this point that I do not like bloodsports.  The thought of tearing around the countryside with a pack of hounds terrorising foxes just leaves me cold.  Years ago, my horse and I nearly fell out when I was innocently grooming him one day and he turned round and sank his teeth into my arm, hard enough to draw blood.  At the time, I was traumatised.  My horse had his manic moments, but biting was not one of his vices.  I reprimanded him severely, and was wondering how my lovely, gentle steed had suddenly turned into an evil Kelpie-Horse from Hell when I heard the faint bray of the horn.  I realised then why he was on tenter-hooks.  Squire loved hunting, and was desperate to be out there running with the pack. 

Sadly, I did not love my horse enough to sacrifice my principles.  I never took him hunting, though he'd have thoroughly enjoyed it, I know.

Even though I have no love for the sport, I like the iconography of hunting, and the historic depiction of hunting in art, and I particularly love Crawhall's interpretation of hunting-related subjects.  Here's an image of one of his prints, 'The Meet':-

 

It's a wonderful painting, but it's not my absolute favourite.  That has to be 'The Whipper-In'.  I last saw it at the Burrell almost twenty years ago and it was love at first sight.  Somehow, in the intervening decades, 'The Whipper-In' and I have been ships that passed in the night.  I just keep missing it!  And there have been no images of it available anywhere. 

Today our paths finally co-incided, and I fell in love all over again.  It is still my all-time favourite painting in the world.  Ever.  But this time it was available as a framed print, so of course we bought one!  The years of drought and abstinence and a Whipper-In-less life are over at last.

If you're into equine or animal portaiture or just fine artwork and you're ever near Glasgow, check out the Burrell Collection and see his paintings for yourself.  Crawhall's works are mainly gouache on linen, which gives them a luminous, almost transluscent quality which has to be seen to be believed. They're wonderful!  This special exhibition focussing on his hunting paintings is open until mid-February - go and see it if you can!!!  Even if you don't approve of bloodsports, put your squeamishness and condemnation aside and appreciate his works for what they are, magnificent depictions of something which may be anachronistic now, but which made perfect sense in the 19th and early 20th centuries when you couldn't get better training for a cavalry-man than sending him tearing off across country in pursuit of the inedible (thanks, Oscar Wilde).

I'll try and show you 'The Whipper-In' tomorrow...

 

Joseph Crawhall... And Two Mochas, Please

Today I actually did something cultured with my weekend for once.  It did not involve bicycles (too icy).  And miracle of miracle, it did not involve computers and writing books.

It came to my attention about a week ago that the Burrell Collection was hosting a temporary exhibition over the winter devoted to my favourite artist, Joseph Crawhall (1861-1913).  He's one of the Glasgow Boys, best remembered for his animal paintings, and William Burrell was particularly keen on acquiring his artworks.  This is great, because it means I've got one of the world's best collections of Crawhall on my doorstep. 

I'm especially fond of Crawhall's equine paintings.  I think he does the best horse portraits in the world, ever, full stop.  Okay, maybe I'll concede that Crawhall's skills are rivalled by the sculptor whose hand carved the Elgin Marbles, but hey, that's a different medium, so stuff it, I refuse to make comparisons! 

Now, I'd just like to make it clear at this point that I do not like bloodsports.  The thought of tearing around the countryside with a pack of hounds terrorising foxes just leaves me cold.  Years ago, my horse and I nearly fell out when I was innocently grooming him one day and he turned round and sank his teeth into my arm, hard enough to draw blood.  At the time, I was traumatised.  My horse had his manic moments, but biting was not one of his vices.  I reprimanded him severely, and was wondering how my lovely, gentle steed had suddenly turned into an evil Kelpie-Horse from Hell when I heard the faint bray of the horn.  I realised then why he was on tenter-hooks.  Squire loved hunting, and was desperate to be out there running with the pack. 

Sadly, I did not love my horse enough to sacrifice my principles.  I never took him hunting, though he'd have thoroughly enjoyed it, I know.

Even though I have no love for the sport, I like the iconography of hunting, and the historic depiction of hunting in art, and I particularly love Crawhall's interpretation of hunting-related subjects.  Here's an image of one of his prints, 'The Meet':-

 

It's a wonderful painting, but it's not my absolute favourite.  That has to be 'The Whipper-In'.  I last saw it at the Burrell almost twenty years ago and it was love at first sight.  Somehow, in the intervening decades, 'The Whipper-In' and I have been ships that passed in the night.  I just keep missing it!  And there have been no images of it available anywhere. 

Today our paths finally co-incided, and I fell in love all over again.  It is still my all-time favourite painting in the world.  Ever.  But this time it was available as a framed print, so of course we bought one!  The years of drought and abstinence and a Whipper-In-less life are over at last.

If you're into equine or animal portaiture or just fine artwork and you're ever near Glasgow, check out the Burrell Collection and see his paintings for yourself.  Crawhall's works are mainly gouache on linen, which gives them a luminous, almost transluscent quality which has to be seen to be believed. They're wonderful!  This special exhibition focussing on his hunting paintings is open until mid-February - go and see it if you can!!!  Even if you don't approve of bloodsports, put your squeamishness and condemnation aside and appreciate his works for what they are, magnificent depictions of something which may be anachronistic now, but which made perfect sense in the 19th and early 20th centuries when you couldn't get better training for a cavalry-man than sending him tearing off across country in pursuit of the inedible (thanks, Oscar Wilde).

I'll try and show you 'The Whipper-In' tomorrow...