Ben Eay 1883

Henry William Banks Davis painted "Ben Eay" using oil paints on canvas. Oil paint, a versatile medium, allows for rich colors, subtle gradations, and a range of textures, all of which Davis employs here. Observe how the buttery consistency of oil paint enables him to capture the shaggy coats of the Highland cattle. The visible brushstrokes add a tactile quality, mimicking the rough texture of their fur. This is not just a picturesque scene; it's a study in materiality. The rugged landscape is rendered with a similar attention to texture, from the heather-covered hills to the cloudy sky. Consider, too, the social context: Davis, trained in the Royal Academy, would have been familiar with the conventions of landscape painting. Yet he chooses to focus on working animals. The image is romanticized but nonetheless speaks to the realities of rural labor. By emphasizing materiality and context, we see beyond the surface of the artwork. We understand how it reflects not only artistic skill but also the cultural values of its time, blurring the lines between fine art and the everyday.