Oil paint on canvas
Tate Collection
Works with images
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Chantrey Bequest
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<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/ernest-procter-1802" aria-label="More by Ernest Procter" data-gtm-name="header_link_artist" data-gtm-destination="page--artist">Ernest Procter</a>
Zodiac
Presented by the Trustees of the Chantrey Bequest 1936
actions: expressive
actions: postures and motions
adults
animals: fish and aquatic life
animals: insects & lower animals
animals: mammals
arrow
astrology
astronomy
bow
bull
centaur / Cacus
child
children
classical myths: creatures
crab
embracing
family
female
fish
goat
lion
magic and occultism
nudes
objects
people
planet
ram
recoiling
religion and belief
running
scorpion
society
space
twins
weapons
woman
<p>This painting cleverly combines representations of the twelve animal and human symbols of the Zodiac into a dynamic composition. The twelve symbols, beginning at the top left are: Aquarius the water-carrier: Pisces the fish: Aries the ram; Taurus the bull, Gemini the twins; Cancer the crab; Leo the lion; Virgo the virgin holding the balancing scales of Libra; Scorpio the scorpion; Sagittarius the archer; and Capricorn the goat. These symbols were conceived by ancient civilizations and linked to the stellar constellations which are situated in a belt of the heavens traversed annually by the sun, hence the prominent position of the sun in a grouping which Procter set in planetary space.</p><p><em>Gallery label, August 2004</em></p>
painting oil paint canvas
The Zodiac
support: 1524 × 1676 mm
Presented by the Trustees of the <a href="/search?gid=999999977" data-gtm-name="tombstone_link_bequest" data-gtm-destination="list-page--search-results">Chantrey Bequest</a> 1936
<p>This <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>painting</span></a> cleverly combines <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/r/representational" title="Glossary definition for 'Representational'"><span>representations</span></a> of the twelve animal and human symbols of the Zodiac into a dynamic <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/c/composition" title="Glossary definition for 'Composition'"><span>composition</span></a>. The twelve symbols, beginning at the top left are: Aquarius the water-carrier: Pisces the fish: Aries the ram; Taurus the bull, Gemini the twins; Cancer the crab; Leo the lion; Virgo the virgin holding the balancing scales of Libra; Scorpio the scorpion; Sagittarius the archer; and Capricorn the goat. These symbols were conceived by ancient civilizations and linked to the stellar constellations which are situated in a belt of the heavens traversed annually by the sun, hence the prominent position of the sun in a grouping which Procter set in planetary space.</p>
Display caption
2004-08-31T00:00:00
display-caption
DISPLAY_CAPTION
<p><b>N04839</b> THE ZODIAC 1925</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Inscr. ‘Ernest Procter 25’ b.l.
<br/>Canvas, 60×66 (152·5×167·5).
<br/>Chantrey Purchase from the Leicester Galleries 1936.
<br/><i>Exh:</i> <i>Paintings by Ernest Procter and Dod Procter</i>, Leicester Galleries, December 1925 (39); <i>International Exhibition</i>, Carnegie Institute, Pittsburgh, October–December 1927 (243, repr.); Leicester Galleries, January 1930 (25); R.A., 1936 (601).
<br/><i>Repr:</i>
<i>Royal Academy Illustrated</i>, 1936, p.14.</p>
<p>According to Mrs Dod Procter, her husband ‘was much taken up with the subject and had written several poems about it’ (letter of 12 October 1958). A <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/w/woodcut" title="Glossary definition for 'Woodcut'"><span>woodcut</span></a> called ‘The Zodiac’ was exhibited in <i>Ernest and Dod Procter, <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/p/painting" title="Glossary definition for 'Painting'"><span>Paintings</span></a> and <a class="glossarylinktopopup" data-gtm-destination="article-page" data-gtm-name="body_text_link" href="http://www.tate.org.uk/learn/online-resources/glossary/d/drawing" title="Glossary definition for 'Drawing'"><span>Drawings</span></a></i>, Manchester, August–September 1929 (16).</p>
<p><b>Published in:</b>
<br/>Mary Chamot, Dennis Farr and Martin Butlin, <i>The Modern British Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture</i>, London 1964, II
<br/></p>

Catalogue entry
2004-10-06T00:00:00
catalogue-entry
CATALOGUE_ENTRY
actions: expressive actions: postures and motions adults animals: fish and aquatic life animals: insects & lower animals animals: mammals arrow astrology astronomy bow bull centaur / Cacus child children classical myths: creatures crab embracing family female fish goat lion magic and occultism nudes objects people planet ram recoiling religion and belief running scorpion society space twins weapons woman