James Pollard

Born in 1792, James Pollard was a painter of coaching and sporting subjects, and an engraver. He was the son and pupil of Richard Pollard (1755-1838), and received much help and advice from Thomas Bewick. In 1820, he began to paint coaching scenes, and in 1821 he exhibited a large work at the Royal Academy entitled North Country Mails at the Peacock, Islington. This was later sold by Sotheby's of London for £19,000. By 1825, he was successful enough to leave his father and set up painting on his own, working mainly for dealers and private patrons. From 1840 he never fully recovered from the death of his wife and youngest daughter and, as a result, his later work shows evidence of decline. Although now best known for coaching subjects, he also painted racing, hunting, steeple-chasing, shooting and fishing scenes. He was never a technically-accomplished artist, but his work is valued for its historical accuracy in evoking the spirit of the coaching age. James Pollard died in 1867.