Rare Oil Landscape Masterpiece “Exmoor” — Circa 1900 Signed by Arthur Wardle





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Description


Arthur Wardle (British, 1864–1949) “Exmoor” — Rare Landscape Oil, circa 1900
Oil on canvas laid on board, in gilt frame

️ Subject & Medium
A finely painted Exmoor moorland landscape by celebrated British animal and sporting painter Arthur Wardle, here working in a scarcer and highly desirable landscape subject. The scene captures a winding track cutting through heather-covered moorland and open grassland beneath a luminous blue sky with drifting clouds.
The colour palette is one of the painting’s great strengths: warm russet, mauve, and heather-purple tones dominate the foreground and middle distance, interwoven with fresh mossy greens and ochres, while the sky is painted in clear, airy blues with soft white and cream cloud forms. The result is a picture that feels both warm and expansive, grounded and open at the same time.
Medium: Oil on canvas laid on board.
Signed: lower right “Arthur Wardle”.

Composition & Technique
Wardle structures the composition around a pale, stony track that pulls the eye deep into the picture, creating a strong sense of distance and space.
Colour and paint handling:
Foreground and moorland: built from layered strokes of russet, aubergine, plum, moss green, and earthy brown, giving the heather real depth and texture rather than flat colour.
Path and highlights: warm creams, pale ochres, and soft stone greys create contrast and guide the eye into the scene.
Sky: a beautifully judged range of clean blues and soft whites, keeping the top of the painting light and breathable.
The brushwork is broken and lively, especially in the vegetation, which gives the surface a tactile, almost wind-swept feel. The colour harmony makes the painting extremely decorator-friendly: it works with both warm and cool interiors and sits comfortably with wood, stone, and neutral schemes.

Historical Importance
This painting belongs to a long British tradition of moorland and heathland landscapes, which were especially prized in the late Victorian and Edwardian period as symbols of open air, health, and national landscape identity. Exmoor, in particular, held a romantic appeal as one of southern Britain’s last great wild places.
What makes this example especially attractive:
Arthur Wardle is primarily known for animals, so a confident, well-resolved landscape by him is comparatively uncommon.
The colour-rich heather palette and open sky reflect exactly the type of scenery that appealed to turn-of-the-century collectors and country-house buyers.
Works like this were often purchased for libraries, studies, and drawing rooms as calm, tasteful, “evergreen” pictures—something that has not changed.
In short, this is not just a decorative scene: it is a period vision of British landscape, painted by an artist associated with the golden age of British sporting and animal art.

About the Artist – Arthur Wardle
Arthur Wardle is one of the best-known British animal painters of the late 19th and early 20th century, admired for accuracy, naturalism, and confident painterly handling. While dogs and sporting subjects dominate his reputation, he was a versatile painter and exhibited widely.
Career highlights:
Exhibitor at the Royal Academy
One-man exhibition at the Fine Art Society (1931)
Exhibition at Vicars Gallery (1935)

Signature
Signed “Arthur Wardle” lower right.

Framing
Presented in a handsome traditional gilt frame.
Note: previous auction cataloguing records indicate the frame is later and re-gilded rather than original to the painting.

Size Framed: 37 cm (H) × 45 cm (W) × 3 cm (D).
A very versatile, easy-to-place size.

Provenance
Private collection
Burstow & Hewett (UK), Fine Art Sale in 2022
Thereafter acquired curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Exhibition History
No specific exhibition label is attached to this individual painting. However, Wardle’s broader exhibition career is well documented (Royal Academy; Fine Art Society 1931; Vicars Gallery 1935).

Why You’ll Love It
Rare landscape subject by Arthur Wardle
Beautiful, colour-rich heather and moorland palette
Strong sense of depth and space from the winding track
Warm and cool tones balanced—very interior-friendly
A timeless British landscape by a collected, exhibited artist
Perfect for library, study, hall, or country-house interior

Condition Report
Offered in good antique condition overall.
Painting surface: good, with foxing/light staining and minor paint loss toward edges consistent with age
Frame: general wear, scuffs, and small chips commensurate with age and use
Please consult photographs carefully as part of the condition description.

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Reserve: $17,152.00

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