Portrait of a Cow 1811

Editor: This is James Ward's "Portrait of a Cow," painted in 1811 using oil. It strikes me as quite textural; you can really see the brushstrokes defining the animal's form. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: What immediately arrests my attention is the surface of the canvas. Consider the impasto technique Ward employs – thick applications of paint, swirling across the animal's body. It gives the cow a tactile quality, almost sculptural. Do you perceive a sense of movement in this application of paint? Editor: I do. The way the brushstrokes follow the contours of the cow suggests movement or even muscular tension beneath the surface. But what does that accomplish? Curator: That brings us to form. Observe the relative lack of detail in the background compared to the hyper-detailed rendering of the animal. Ward directs the viewer's eye, making the cow not simply an object *in* the landscape but the landscape *itself*. He unifies subject and surrounding environment, no? Editor: I see what you mean! The texture and colour palette link the cow and its setting so the creature blends with its home. Are you saying that he does that to elevate his subject? Curator: Precisely! By focusing on form and composition, Ward transforms a seemingly mundane subject into something compelling, even monumental. The formal qualities elevate this cow. This close examination challenges pre-conceived ideas about value. Editor: That's fascinating! I've learned so much about how attention to the materials can elevate art beyond its subject matter. Curator: And hopefully an expanded understanding about how to read art as more than just illustration.