running fallow deer
Running fallow deer - Image 2
close up of fallow deer
, , , ,

Running fallow deer

£465.00

Watercolour and ink painting of a running deer on canvas, finished with imitation gold leaf and framed in a handmade wooden tray framed. 30x60cm, strung and ready to hang.
Categories: , , , , Tags: , , , , , , , ,

This beautiful golden doe is part of a small collection of running animals, inspired by my love of movement and the moment of awe when you manage to spot one in the distance. Around where I live we mostly see roe and muntjac deer, but I could not decide which to paint, so I have painted both a fallow and a roe deer.

Fallow deer are medium-sized deer with a coat that changes color with the seasons, from spotted reddish-brown in summer to duller grey-brown in winter. They are social animals that live in herds and prefer deciduous or mixed woodland.  Males have large, flat, palmate antlers that are shed in the spring and they have a relatively long tail with a black stripe down the middle, bordered by white. Fallow deer are native to Turkey but were introduced to  the UK, by the Normans. 

In folklore, deer are powerful symbols that appear in myths worldwide as divine messengers, shapeshifters, or magical creatures associated with the otherworld. They are seen as symbols of purity and grace, often appearing in quests or as magical guardians. Notable examples include the white stag in Arthurian legend, the “fairy cattle” of Celtic lore, and the role of deer in the mythology of Greek, Norse, and Japanese cultures.
In the Celtic tradition Cernunnos, “lord of wild things,” is often depicted with antlers. Scottish and Irish tales sometimes refer to red deer as “fairy cattle” that are herded by otherworldly women. The Deer Woman is a figure in some Native American traditions, often portrayed as a vengeful spirit who attacks men who are cruel to women and children.

The painting is 30x60cm on a thin edged canvas. It is painted in ink and watercolour and then finished with imitation gold leaf. The painting has been sealed with UV protective varnish and it is framed in a handmade wooden float frame to help it stand out. It is strung and ready to hang. I am able to frame in a natural wood, black or white frame of your choice.

 

Related products