Head of a Donkey – George Jones

A donkey, sketched in a few strokes of the brush. A donkey’s head fills the sheet: long ears pricked up, a shaggy mane, a dark, gentle eye and a pale muzzle. George Jones builds it out of loose, transparent washes of grey and brown over a light pencil drawing, leaving the paper bare where the light falls. It is a quick study, full of life and tenderness.

Artists of the 19th century filled sketchbooks with animal studies made from life, to train their eye and hand. This small watercolour, barely 12 centimetres high, has the spontaneity of those private notes.

Why it works on your wall

• Tender and natural: soft greys and browns for a child’s room, a kitchen or a country house
• Spontaneous and modern: the freedom of a sketch that suits contemporary interiors
• Framing tip: a light oak frame and a wide white mount let the washes breathe

The watercolour

George Jones (1786–1869) was a British painter and a member of the Royal Academy, of which he was Keeper for ten years. Best known for his battle scenes, including views of Waterloo, he was also a close friend of J. M. W. Turner. This study in watercolour and graphite is kept at the Yale Center for British Art.

• Artist: George Jones (1786–1869)
• Technique: watercolour and graphite on paper
• Original: Yale Center for British Art
• Theme: donkey, animal study

Your print

• Colours restored from a high-definition scan of the original
• Printed in Europe on thick archival matte paper, FSC certified
• From A4 to A0, plus 40×60, 50×70, 60×90 and 70×100 cm and 12×18 to 27×40 inch sizes, all made for standard frames
• Free shipping, no minimum order. Shipped rolled in a sturdy tube

Pair it with Stefano della Bella’s Groom with a Camel, or explore our vintage animal prints.