The Hound Coursing a Stag - Painting Analysis Essay Sample

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There are numerous artifacts housed in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, making it a famous historical meeting place for Freemasons in the city that stands firm one century after its erection. The Hound Coursing a Stag is a 1762 oil on canvas painting created by George Stubbs. The author of the work died in 1806, thus making the painting a belonging to the public domain of Britain, from where the author hailed. The dog appears to be among the big greyhounds that appear as bred types (Ingamells 128). George Stubs was absolutely an amazing painter of animals and even though his other works are scattered across the world, they are still masterpieces. The painting in the Philadelphia Museum of Art is a demonstration of spectacular and mythical internal and external architecture that makes it a great and awesome sights in the freemason's society.

Observations about The Hound Coursing a Stag

Upon entering the museum, the first observable thing on exhibition is The Hound Coursing a Stag. This is a realism painting about a dog who was brave and helped people to hunt stags in the eighteenth century. l decided to focus on a historical topic, and the story of a brave dog that assisted humans to obtain their daily bread became a permanent fixture in my mind. On the canvas, George Stubbs captured the galloping pose of both the hound and the stag, using superb color and lighting. Regardless of the artistic representation, the images contained therein are horrific. It represents a hound, which after a long, tedious, but relentless pursuit, managed to attach itself to the healthy and strong looking stag. The beast's eyes appear to be bulging outwards, probably due to terror. It also flings its stately antlers towards the hound in defense, although the hound is relentless. Overall, the painting brings out a balletic elegance with a dark theme of detachment and pursuit (Blake 21). The landscape yonder features tall green trees that kiss the skyline, a slow flowing river at a distance, and dark clouds that are gathering as if to show the fate of the stag.

Context of the Painting

The painting itself is really quite simple. Its size is 100 x 125.7 cm and it comfortably accommodates the image of a large height, dog, and a smooth and polished finish (Richardson 33). The painting speaks volumes, and in addition, the display and the explanatory history accompanying it make a strong and interesting story that sparked immense interest in me. One of the items that speak volumes and creates a lasting impression of the sculpture, The Hound Coursing a Stag is its exterior design. It blends so well with the display, that the entire presentation of the sculpture of The Hound Coursing a Stag commands attention and evokes curiosity simultaneously (Ingamells 123). It is displayed in a large hall, the center of which encompasses a huge grand arch over the main entrance and antique features. Around the exterior of the hall is a rose and stained-glass window that illuminates extravagance which is the sculpture (Richardson 22). On the walls of the display hall are explanatory notes that explain the most notable works of the dog, which helped me come up with an analysis of the sculpture.

Analysis of The Hound Coursing a Stag

According to the notes in the display, the painting of relentless stag, running for its life, and an even more relentless stag, which is intent on pleasing its master, who clearly likes to hunt. The paining has a historical and cultural significance, which explains the companionship that exists between human beings and dogs today (Daley 72). The sculpture of the dog is a representation of the trust and that humans had placed upon dogs long before civilization. They were among the hardest workers when it came to hunting, helping the man achieve extraordinary success in the hunting game. Most of the dogs used then were large in size, just like George Stagg's representation in The Hound Coursing a Stag in the museum.

The Hound Coursing a Stag is a reminder and appreciation of a highly decorated and ranking dogs that enabled human beings to engage in sports and at the same time have food for their families. They were called "deer dogs", and they earned this title thanks to their agility, territorial nature, easy trainability, superior strength, and agility (Billet 104). Accordingly, this dog provided Americans with excellent sporting and hunting services. For instance, deer dogs would slip undetected near an unsuspecting stag, which was an extremely hard animal to catch, due to the possession of extreme agility, a slight frame, and a dark coat. The painting of the majestic hound helped me realize that millions of lives of American families were endurable due to the trainability of dogs and their eagerness to please their masters.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Philadelphia Museum of Art is an inestimable museum in the community. My object of fascination was a painting featuring a relentless hound pursuing an equally determined stag. The contrasting, yet warm and well-blended colors of the painting sparked my interest when I conducted an analysis of its significance. It turns out that men and dogs have been partners for centuries, and their relationship was driven by trust. As such, Americans derived a culture of befriending dogs because they are trustworthy and helpful creatures. The painting of the brave dog paints a mental picture in the mind of observers, a scene explains the history of liberation and the cost of their freedom. Accordingly, the sculpture is a great historical pillar and reserve for anyone who is interested in learning more about the history of the city acting as a tourist attraction and independent halls (Blake 22). The work plays an essential role in enriching the youth with the artifact's information and history around the place. In fact, the painting represents a message so deep, intense, and sentimental, that it has motivated many young people to participate in the arts as adults. The sculpture is indeed designed in a very special way to renew and explore the creative artifact. People coming from the museum propinquity are given priority when it approaches the level of care access. The Philadelphia Museum of Art, which houses The Hound Coursing a Stag is rich in cultural heritage that attracts many tourists who, like me, come to learn more about the history, the impressive artwork represented in beautiful portraits, paintings, and other amazing collections.

Works Cited

Blake, Robin. George Stubbs and the Wide Creation: Animals, People and Places in the Life of George Stubbs 1724-1806. Random House, 2016.

Billett, Michael. A history of English country sports. Robert Hale, 1994.

Daley, A. Stuart. "The Idea of Hunting in" As You Like It"." Shakespeare Studies 21 (1993): 72.

Ingamells, John. "British Painting in the Philadelphia Museum of Art." (1987): 123-128.

Richardson, Craig. "Artists''embedded reinterpretation in museums and sites of heritage." Journal of Visual Art Practice17.1 (2018): 22-40.