Colonel Henry Campbell Shooting on a Moor (Primary Title)
Benjamin Marshall, English, 1767 - 1835 (Artist)
Marshall’s approach to portraiture was always informal. In this work, he portrays his subject within a landscape that is expressive and stylistically audacious, creating a romantic atmosphere. The setting is painted loosely and in thin layers, resembling a common watercolor technique. Marshall preferred capturing the individuality of his sitters by representing them in the midst of enjoying their preferred leisure activities. Here, the landowner Colonel Henry Campbell is shown hunting grouse on a northern moor, accompanied by three Kingston pointers. The English Parliament had passed the Game Act in 1671, prohibiting game hunting among all but wealthy landowners. Although the act was primarily intended to keep guns out of the hands of the lower classes to prevent potential social insurrections, it had the additional consequence of ensuring a plentiful supply of game for wealthy hunters like Campbell.
2018-2019: "A Sporting Vision: The Paul Mellon Collection of British Sporting Art from the VMFA", National Sporting Museum & Library, Middleburg, VA, April 13 - July 22, 2018; Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN, February 2 - May 5, 2019; Frick Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, June 15 - September 8, 2019
Side-By-Side with Gun and Dog, National Sporting Library & Museum, MIddleburg, Virginia, September 25, 2015 - March 20, 2016
Gone Away: Gifts from the Estate of Paul Mellon, VMFA February 6 - September 29, 2002.
Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.
