Old Ruff (Grey Partridge) by Jasper Leadbeater

Medium

Mixed media on spent shotgun cartridges

Dimensions

H69cm x W59cm xD7cm

Description

A detailed portrayal of a grey partridge in flight set on a background of shotgun shells.

Notes

Beautifully rendered, the partridge at the centre of this piece has been painted with meticulous attention to detail, with the colours showing a keen resemblance to the grey partridge. The backdrop of spent shot gun shells comes from Leadbeater's interest in sustainable art, and his desire to transform materials associated with force into something different, here, he depicts the richness of country sport tradition, with shotgun shells and a game bird framed on it, however, there is another layer to this piece. The grey partridge, although a common game bird with regulated management shooting events still ongoing is now restricted for hunting because of the depleting population numbers, making this piece much more poignant than it may appear on the surface. The partridge has its arms outstretched as it takes flight from the shells, almost as though the bird is now free of them. Another striking part of this piece is that the eye of the bird is framed within a shotgun shell, almost bringing forth the concept of a bullseye and the grey partridge being the target, however, this continued sense of the bird flying away from these shells the bird is almost mocking the viewer, unable to be shot. Not only is this piece rich with country sporting heritage, it is also imbued with the complex relationships with the sport.

About Jasper Leadbeater

Jasper Leadbeater is a self-taught artist whose early passion for fine art and drawing developed into a successful career built on detailed pencil commissions. His curiosity and environmental awareness led him to experiment with spent shotgun shells as an unconventional canvas, forming the foundation of a distinctive and recognisable style. Drawing inspiration from the countryside, his work brings together traditional country pursuits with a contemporary approach to animal portraiture, using intricately hand-drawn and hand-cut stencils combined with spray paint.

Through continued experimentation, his focus has evolved towards capturing the beauty of the animal kingdom, particularly within Highland settings, resulting in work that feels both modern and deeply connected to the natural world. Browse all our Jasper Leadbeater pieces.