Yale Center for British Art
Creator:
James Ward, 1769–1859, British
Title:
Looking Upwards from Devil's Bridge, Cardiganshire, Wales
Date:
undated
Materials & Techniques:
Watercolor, gouache and graphite on medium, moderately textured, cream laid paper
Dimensions:
Sheet: 13 7/8 x 23 3/4 inches (35.2 x 60.3 cm)
Credit Line:
Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection
Copyright Status:
Public Domain
Accession Number:
B1977.14.6084
Gallery Label:
James Ward began his career as an engraver but then turned to animal paintings and large-scale landscapes. In choosing this close-up view of the waterfalls at Devil’s Bridge, Ward intimately engages with the particulars of the landscape, paying heed to the unique textures of rock, water, and vegetation. These landscape components are featured in larger-scale works from the area, notably the sweeping mountain scenes which attracted so many visitors to Wales. This work’s dynamism arises from the different mediums used and its varying degrees of detail and styles of representation, notably in its graphic quality, with penciled outlines and cross-hatching. Gallery label for Art in Focus: Wales (Yale Center for British Art, 2014-04-04 - 2014-08-10)