About the painting
When fully grown males (stags) weigh between 90 to 190kg and stand at around 1.07 to 1.37m tall at the shoulder. The stags’ antlers are the species most distinguishing feature. They are highly branched and the branches increase with age with multiple points on each antler. The angle of the forward point from the main antler beam is about 90° (unlike the Sika). Antlers are cast during March/April and begin to regrow to be fully formed and clear of velvet in August/September.
The breeding season, or the rut, occurs from the end of September to November. Stags return to the hind's home range and compete for them by engaging in elaborate displays of dominance including roaring, parallel walks, and fighting. Serious injury and death can result from fighting but this only occurs between stags of similar size that cannot assess dominance by any of the other means. The dominant stag then ensures exclusive mating with the hinds.
Despite being sexually mature before their second birthday in productive woodland populations, only stags over five years old tend to mate.
These animals are proud, strong and beautiful. This painting is hung in my dining room and looks over us with a sense of superiority.
100cm by 100cm Acrylic
Private collection
