Colonel Acland and Lord Sydney: The Archers
Encyclopedia
Colonel Acland and Lord Sydney: The Archers is an oil-on-canvas painting by Sir Joshua Reynolds undertaken between 1769 and 1770. The artwork depicts the two aristocrat
s Colonel John Dyke Acland
(1746–1778; at right) and Lord Sydney
(1732–1774), a diplomat. Reynolds began the work in 1769, and completed it the next year. In 1769 Reynolds had become the first president of the new Royal Academy
. In September 2005, the Tate Gallery
purchased the painting for more than £2.5 million, equivalent to US
$4.4 million.
, while the shotgun
was the more popular choice of weapon at the time.
These two bow-wielding men can be seen in the clearing of a forest. They are both garbed in archer
clothing; their hunted prey lies close to their feet. Their facial expressions, coupled with Cosby's eagerness and poise, suggest that they are both preparing to loose an arrow
at an approaching animal.
Distantly in the background, a river, a clump of trees, and a meadow can be seen. Further back, at the skyline mountain peaks can be seen below thick grey clouds.
The portrait shares the same textural schemes and design of several other works by Reynolds. The allusion to the classical era is apparent in both the clothing worn by the two aristocrats, and their choice of weapon.
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
s Colonel John Dyke Acland
John Dyke Acland
Major John Dyke Acland , son of Sir Thomas Dyke Acland, 7th Baronet, was a British officer who fought in the American War of Independence and, later, a politician....
(1746–1778; at right) and Lord Sydney
Dudley Cosby, 1st Baron Sydney
Dudley Alexander Sydney Cosby, 1st Baron Sydney , was an Irish politician and diplomat.-Background:Cosby was the son of Pole Cosby, of Stradbally, Queen's County, and Mary, daughter of Henry Dodwell...
(1732–1774), a diplomat. Reynolds began the work in 1769, and completed it the next year. In 1769 Reynolds had become the first president of the new Royal Academy
Royal Academy
The Royal Academy of Arts is an art institution based in Burlington House on Piccadilly, London. The Royal Academy of Arts has a unique position in being an independent, privately funded institution led by eminent artists and architects whose purpose is to promote the creation, enjoyment and...
. In September 2005, the Tate Gallery
Tate Gallery
The Tate is an institution that houses the United Kingdom's national collection of British Art, and International Modern and Contemporary Art...
purchased the painting for more than £2.5 million, equivalent to US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
$4.4 million.
Analysis
The work portrays the two men holding each a bowBow (weapon)
The bow and arrow is a projectile weapon system that predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.-Description:A bow is a flexible arc that shoots aerodynamic projectiles by means of elastic energy. Essentially, the bow is a form of spring powered by a string or cord...
, while the shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
was the more popular choice of weapon at the time.
These two bow-wielding men can be seen in the clearing of a forest. They are both garbed in archer
Archery
Archery is the art, practice, or skill of propelling arrows with the use of a bow, from Latin arcus. Archery has historically been used for hunting and combat; in modern times, however, its main use is that of a recreational activity...
clothing; their hunted prey lies close to their feet. Their facial expressions, coupled with Cosby's eagerness and poise, suggest that they are both preparing to loose an arrow
Arrow
An arrow is a shafted projectile that is shot with a bow. It predates recorded history and is common to most cultures.An arrow usually consists of a shaft with an arrowhead attached to the front end, with fletchings and a nock at the other.- History:...
at an approaching animal.
Distantly in the background, a river, a clump of trees, and a meadow can be seen. Further back, at the skyline mountain peaks can be seen below thick grey clouds.
The portrait shares the same textural schemes and design of several other works by Reynolds. The allusion to the classical era is apparent in both the clothing worn by the two aristocrats, and their choice of weapon.