Portraits of Blackthorn, a Broodmare, with Old Jack, a Favourite Pony, the Property of E. Mundy, Esq. 1812

Curator: This oil painting from 1812 is by James Ward. It is titled, "Portraits of Blackthorn, a Broodmare, with Old Jack, a Favourite Pony, the Property of E. Mundy, Esq." Editor: What strikes me first is that sense of melancholy; even if the ponies are lovely. It’s as though there's a silent drama playing out on that small hill. The grey, ominous sky reinforces it, like nature is breathing down their necks. Curator: It’s more complex than a simple pastoral scene, definitely. These animals signify status. Owning a fine broodmare and a pony like Old Jack reflected well on someone’s social standing in the early 19th century. Ward clearly wanted to showcase that pride, hence the rather specific title! Editor: And yet… there's that carcass in the foreground. I am not sure what to make of that… The vulnerability. Maybe it speaks of mortality amidst affluence, a reminder of the ephemeral nature of life and possessions? Curator: Or maybe of our entanglement within the cycles of nature! There's certainly Romanticism here – beauty and brutality living side-by-side. These horses exist comfortably as property while other creatures apparently are caught in a much crueler existence. I sense a kind of tension that I suspect the artist knowingly created. Editor: I like your interpretation. I was feeling such sorrow, focusing on loss. But considering cycles and the inherent push and pull? It elevates the painting so much further and brings me more ease. It adds even more emotional depth that challenges us to consider more complex connections to these animals. Curator: Absolutely, and with Ward's brushstrokes, loose in places yet detailed when describing muscle or a windswept mane, he emphasizes both the grandeur of the estate and this awareness of what underpins it. I find I enjoy paintings of animals more and more because they feel connected in such fundamental ways to us as humans. Editor: Yes! There's so much to unpack and consider; more than meets the casual eye, and that I am all for.