A Deer Chased by Dogs 1725

Jean-Baptiste Oudry made this dramatic hunting scene with oil on canvas. Although he followed academic conventions of his time, the life-size scale gives us a sense of the materiality and the processes involved. Oudry applied layer upon layer of paint to create a rich and textured surface that imitates the wildness of nature. Hunting was a favourite pastime of the aristocracy, as it reinforced the social hierarchy. The artist’s skilled application is a world away from other kinds of ‘making’ and ‘working’ in this period. Oudry has deployed his craft to depict the consumption habits of the wealthy, with a level of care normally reserved for a religious subject. In the 1700s, images like this were not simply artworks, but signifiers of class and status. By emphasizing the materiality and social context of A Deer Chased by Dogs, we understand how Oudry's painting transcends mere representation, to become a symbol of its time.