Who painted Death of the Doe?

Death of the Doe was painted by George Stubbs in 1804.

Where can I see Death of the Doe?

Death of the Doe is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Death of the Doe?

Death of the Doe is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Death of the Doe

George Stubbs , 1804

Death of the Doe is an ink print by the Romanticist artist George Stubbs. It dates from 1804 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

It exists as a proof before the application of colour, representing an early stage in the plate’s production.

Created in 1804, *Death of the Doe* is a mezzotint print executed on wove paper. It exists as a proof before the application of colour, representing an early stage in the plate’s production. The image portrays a solitary figure in period dress, kneeling amid a dark woodland, rifle in hand, accompanied by two hunting hounds, one standing and the other recumbent, with a faint structure visible in the background.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a moment after a hunt, suggesting the culmination of a chase through the presence of the rifle, the dogs, and the somber forest setting. The title implies that a doe has been killed, though the animal itself is not shown; the focus rests on the hunter’s posture and the surrounding environment, evoking themes of mortality and the ritual of hunting within a Romantic sensibility.

Technique & Style

Stubby’s mezzotint employs delicate gradations of tone to render the figures against the deep shadows of the trees, allowing the man and his dogs to emerge with clear modeling. The proof stage reveals the artist’s handling of light and texture before any colour was added, demonstrating his skill in manipulating the copper plate to achieve subtle atmospheric effects.

History & Provenance

The print was produced by George Stubbs, an English artist noted for his anatomical precision in animal subjects. Working independently of the mainstream art institutions of his era, Stubbs relied on personal observation and study. This particular proof, lacking the later colour layers, offers insight into his printmaking process and has been preserved as an example of his early 19th‑century output.

Context

*Death of the Doe* follows Stubbs’s earlier series depicting dramatic encounters between animals, such as lions attacking horses, reflecting his ongoing interest in the Romantic fascination with nature’s violence. The work aligns with the period’s broader cultural engagement with hunting as both sport and symbolic narrative.