{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O78971"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O78971/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH9335/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AH9335/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AH9335","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN2175","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AN2174","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017JU3180","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O78971/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O78971","accessionNumber":"W.19-1945","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"Colonel Smith Grasping the Hind Legs of a Stag","type":"generic title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>Wealthy families in the 17th century frequently commissioned paintings to commemorate the courage or nobility of an ancestor.  This one is unusual as it shows the actual feat of strength and includes a poem describing it. The painting was made to celebrate the bravery of Colonel Sir William Smith, who inherited Hill Hall in Essex in about 1577. The humorous Latin poem was by his friend and neighbour Sir Robert Wroth of Loughton Hall (three miles from Hill Hall). The original painting was probably lost in the Civil War of 1642-1646, when Hill Hall was looted, but the Smith family may have had this painting made to replace it. The Colonel is shown in 17th-century costume, of the period in which the replica was made.<br><br><b>Subjects Depicted</b><br>According to the poem, a stag had broken into Colonel Smith's fenced garden, and started to crop the plants. The Colonel turned out his hounds, but the stag ran off into the wild. Suddenly it fell into a stag pit, and in pursuing it the Colonel fell in as well. He grappled with the animal as it tried to escape, dragging him along, and finally he overpowered it. He then tied its feet together with one of his garters.","physicalDescription":"Oil painting","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Unknown","id":"A1848"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oil paint","id":"AAT15050"},{"text":"panel","id":"AAT14657"}],"techniques":[{"text":"oil painting","id":"AAT178684"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"oil on panel","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"}],"styles":[{"text":"British School","id":"x30967"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AH9335","2006AN2175","2006AN2174","2017JU3180"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"57B","id":"THES49239"},"free":"","case":"WS","shelf":"","box":"20"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"oil paintings","id":"AAT33799"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1640-1680","earliest":"1640-01-01","latest":"1680-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"101","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"61.3","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 06/04/1999 by cons","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""},{"content":"Exitus ambiguus rerum est quae mira videntur\r\nViseq ratam possunt facta creare fode,\r\nHaec saepe eventus, casus qu volubilis affert\r\nMagnasque fornito digna stupore cadunt\r\nEn tibi magnanimi facinus memorabile Smythi\r\nNostre tibi historiam Carmine musa dabit. \r\nStemaste Dux claro Symthus sed clarior susis\r\nQuem dominu Montis vindicat Aula suu.\r\nCui Fortuna Comes cui Dux fuit altere virtus,\r\nNomen ab hoc facto grande decusqye tulit\r\nCervus hic solitis dum saltans saltibus erret \r\nDunqie nocens vetiti pascus tondet agri.\r\nSmythus ut hunc agitet Cervu propere exist in agros,\r\nEt statione Canes Commodiore locat.\r\nAt canbus Cervus non obuius, avius errat\r\nEt casu in fossae fonds profunds cadit.\r\nInsequitur cursu festinus & imminet illi\r\nNeci sibi d fossa Smythus hiante cavet\r\nErgo ruere propere subitoq illapsus candem\r\nIn fossam nec primo non putacas\r\nAt simul aspexit pedetentim accessit et unum\r\nArcte illi manibus stringit utrisq pedem \r\nEis ut complexus se clunibus apta fuit\r\nFossit se arrectum quadrupes atq. exilit alte \r\nCruribus et comitis pondera iucta trahit.\r\nAt tantam molem quae sat sunt crure trahendo\r\nQuod potuere parum non valuere cliu.\r\nSuccumbit vis victo ferre [...]\r\nHoc animos Iuveni consiliumq dedit\r\nQui victim insurgens (telo omni exutus) in hostem\r\nFronte feram et pugno stravit inermis [homo]\r\nInde periscelifem d surs soluit et andax\r\nHac transversa ferae compede circumligat.\r\nCapta fera est victor. nome memorabie cepit\r\nQui copis haez oculis credulus ills cape. \r\nSi credit Cervi longa opto saecula vivas,\r\nTam tot illustri lustre precare Duci,\r\nMi credae Cervina tibi hic affixa minantur \r\nCornus et precor cornus fronte geres.\r\nROBERTUS WROATH","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":""}],"objectHistory":"Purchased, 1945\r\nPossibly commissioned by Sir Thomas Smith (died in 1668) or Sir Edward Smith Bt. (died in 1717)Painted in England by an unidentified artist, for Hill Hall, Essex; the Latin verses by Sir Robert Wroth II (born about 1576, died 1614)","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"A Man Grasping the Hind Legs of a Stag (COLONEL SMITH GRASPING THE HIND LEGS OF A STAG)","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nThe original story can be found in British Galleries Online available in the Study Areas.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["W.19-1945"],"accessionNumberNum":"19","accessionNumberPrefix":"W","accessionYear":1945,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LR3151","2019LR2252","2019LP3637","2019LR6608","2019LT9769","2019LV6680"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-25","recordCreationDate":"2003-03-27","availableToBook":false}}