Description:

Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait
British-American, 1819-1905
Who Left the Bars Down
Oil on canvas
Signed and dated '94 lower right, backside of the canvas is marked with the artist's name and title, with other labels. Sheep emerging through an open gate in a summer landscape, framed.

Born in Liverpool, England, Arthur Tait became America's first important sporting artist. In England, he trained as a lithographer for Agnews, an art dealer in Manchester, and taught himself to paint by copying works at the Royal Institute. In 1850, Tait came to America to pursue his interest in wildlife and hunting, working primarily from a studio in New York City. As an accomplished woodsman and marksman, his popular realistic genre hunting scenes developed from a first-hand knowledge. His recognition as an artist only grew when his work caught the attention of Currier & Ives. From 1852–1865, the famed publishing company commissioned forty-two paintings for publication. He became an associate of the National Academy of Design in 1854 and participated in their annual exhibitions for fifty-three years. He was known to have painted over 2,000 oils, watercolors, and sketches of frontier, animal, and hunting scenes.

  • Dimensions: 18 x 27 1/4 in. (45.7 x 69.2 cm.), Frame: 24 x 33 in. (61 x 83.8 cm.)
  • Medium: Oil on canvas
  • Condition: Light craquelure shows throughout.

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February 14, 2026 10:00 AM CST
St. Louis, MO, US

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