Student Artwork Guide
Copyright This work is in the public domain. William Aiken Walker died in 1921; copyright lasts 70 years after the artist’s death, so it ended in 1991.
In context
Wolves Attacking Cattle — William Aiken Walker
Row above: the years. Row below: how old the artist was at the start and at the end of each span — 0 at birth, 82 at death.
Painted when the artist was 20. The artist lived to 82. 0 of the 59 dated works by this artist in our catalogue came earlier.
Shaded: the lifetime of William Aiken Walker (1839–1921) ▲ this work, 1859 every dated painting, decade by decade
First works: up to 1880 Main working years: 1880–1907 Late works: from 1907
Those three bands split the works this catalogue has a date for into a first quarter, a middle half and a last quarter. They are not the artist’s complete output: a thin stretch may be a gap in the record rather than a quiet spell. The same years with the artist’s life laid along them
Pick one work above: name two things it shares with this one, and one thing that's different.
More works to set beside this one: topimpressionists.com/en/art/similar/william-aiken-walker-wolves-attacking-cattle-8DP9S2-en/
Measured from the image
Main colour
Phthalo Green #1f1116
Catalogued palette
These colours inside the artist’s whole palette Find other paintings by colour
The ten leading countries
Find the three darkest countries on the map. Is the museum that keeps this painting in any of them? Write down one reason people far away might look at it.
Together these works take 49.4% of all the attention this artist's paintings received over the last twelve months. The catalogue holds 164 works by this artist, of which 46 were looked at at least once. This painting has not been looked at yet in that time — it closes the list without a rank. The same counts, month by month
Bars measure attention, not quality. Pick the work at the top and this one: name one thing that might make a painting famous beyond how well it is painted.
Artist and museum
Born in Charleston, United States of America
William Aiken Walker (March 11, 1839 – January 3, 1921) was an American artist renowned for his genre paintings, particularly those capturing the lives of African Americans in the post-Reconstruction South. His work offers a poignant glimpse into a pivotal period of American history.
Born in Charleston, South Carolina, to an Irish Protestant father and a mother with deep roots in South Carolina society, Walker’s early life was marked by relocation following his father's death in 1842. The family moved to Baltimore, Maryland, before returning to Charleston in 1848. This exposure to different environments likely shaped his artistic perspective.
Walker’s artistic journey began with formal training, though details remain scarce. He is primarily self-taught. During the American Civil War, he enlisted in the Confederate Army, serving under General Wade Hampton. Wounded at the Battle of Seven Pines in 1862, his subsequent assignment to picket duty unexpectedly provided him with time to paint.
He became celebrated for his depictions of everyday life, focusing particularly on the experiences of Black sharecroppers and laborers. His paintings are characterized by a realistic style and an empathetic portrayal of his subjects. Two of his most recognized works – depicting scenes from rural Southern life – were reproduced as chromolithographs by Currier and Ives, significantly expanding their reach.
Bombardment of Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, Charleston, South Carolina, 1863: A powerful depiction of a key event initiating the Civil War.
St. Finebar's Church, Broad Street, Charleston: Showcasing Walker’s skill in architectural painting and capturing the essence of Charleston’s cityscape.
Cotton Gin, Adams County, Mississippi: A representative example of his genre scenes focusing on agricultural labor.
Cabin Scene 1: Illustrating the living conditions of sharecroppers with striking realism.
Walker’s work is distinguished by its focus on genre painting, a style that depicts scenes from everyday life. He masterfully captured the dignity and resilience of his subjects, offering a nuanced perspective on post-Reconstruction Southern society. His paintings often portray the hardships faced by African Americans while also highlighting their strength and community spirit.
Walker’s art provides valuable historical documentation of a complex period in American history. He offers insights into the social, economic, and racial dynamics of the post-Civil War South that are often absent from more formal historical accounts. His paintings serve as visual testimonies to the lives of those who lived through this era.
He continued painting until his death on January 3, 1921, in Charleston, where he is buried in the family plot at Magnolia Cemetery. Today, his work can be found in museums such as the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston, South Carolina, ensuring that his legacy continues to inspire and inform future generations.
While specific artistic influences are not extensively documented, Walker’s realism suggests an awareness of contemporary American genre painters. His focus on social commentary aligns with a broader trend in 19th-century art towards addressing issues of class and inequality.
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Look closely
Wolves Attacking Cattle — William Aiken Walker
Answer in your own words. There are no wrong answers here — only answers you can explain.
Write a short paragraph about this artwork. Use the facts from the earlier parts of this guide, and your answers above.
The author of "Wolves Attacking Cattle" is William Aiken Walker, and the work is dated 1859.
The subjects of "Wolves Attacking Cattle" are animals.
"Wolves Attacking Cattle" was created by William Aiken Walker. The information on this page describes William Aiken Walker's original work.