The Appraising Eye: Equestrian art, a day at the races

Spring
has arrived and the steeplechase courses will soon be populated with
spectators. The steeplechase is a form of horse racing primarily conducted in
the United Kingdom, Canada, United States, Australia, France and Ireland and
derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by
reference to a church steeple. Most of the earlier steeplechases were organized
cross-country rather than on a track. The riders jumped fences and ditches generally
traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside.

Steeplechase racing
originated in Ireland in the mid 18th century as a result of a wager, when after a fox hunt, two Irish horseman
from Cork County settled a dispute regarding who owned the fastest horse. The
two equestrians raced over four miles from Buttevant Church to St. Leger Church
in Doneraile, a cross-country horse race which went from church steeple to
church steeple, hence the origination of "steeplechase".

The form of crosscountry racing expanded to
England where in 1792 the first Steeple Chase race was recorded. Most of the earlier steeplechases were
contested cross-country; however in 1810, the first recorded steeplechase over
a prepared track with fences was run at Bedford, England.

During the 19th century as popularity of the sport grew,
equestrian sporting art as a genre exploded. In England, equestrian paintings evolved from the military
to the sporting horse. Notable British artists of the period include Benjamin
Marshal, James Ward and Henry Thomas Alken.

Eventually the passion for horse racing and
equestrian sporting art spread from England to France. Nonetheless, French
racing has a few notable differences compared to the English horse races. Chases
often have large fences called Bullfinches, a large hedge up to 8 ft tall
that horses have to jump through rather than over. There are also a larger
number of Cross-Country Chases where horses have to jump up and down banks,
gallop through water, and jump over stone walls as well as jump normal chasing
fences.

Edgar Degas (1834-1917), who is well known
for his images of dancers, was equally accomplished in depicting 19th century
French racing horses. Neither a rider himself nor a particularly committed fan
of racing, Degas was attracted to horse racing by the excitement of the events
and the opportunity they offered to record the natural movements of horses and
riders. Degas was drawn to the grace, beauty and powerful energy of the
thoroughbreds and their talented jockeys. Just as he was intrigued by the
sensuous agility and discipline of ballet dancers, he was fascinated by the
nervous tension of horses and riders.

As he frequented racecourses in Paris and in
the countryside, Degas made sketches and notes at the event. On returning to
his studio he executed his finished racing pictures. Rather than doing
traditional representations of races themselves or documenting individual
steeds or jockeys, he created impromptu and unusual views. These pictures
highlight rhythms of movements, patterns of activities before and after races.
He executed his initial racing pictures, notably "At the Races: The
Start" (1861-62), a small but ambitious oil painting.

Edgar Degas was also one of the first horse
painters who were influenced by the use photographic references. In the 19th century, Edward Muybridge’s
photographic studies of animal motion had a significant influence on equine art,
allowing artists greater understanding of the horses gait. Artists prior to Muybridge photographic
studies had portrayed the horse in a ‘rocking horse gallop; with the horse
portrayed with both front legs extended forward and both hind legs extended
rearwards. More realistic
representations of horses in motion were possible after the invention of
photography.

In the late 19th century, horse racing
eventually crossed the Atlantic to America. Hunt scenes and horse racing subjects was a welcome reprieve
for artists who were used to painting formal portraits and historical paintings. The sporting genre gave artists the
opportunity to depict American leisure activities. Most Americans could not afford original paintings by
equestrian sporting artists however they could purchase reproductions. Currier & Ives brought thousands of
Equestrian art scenes into American homes through the reproduction of prints.

Valuing equestrian sporting art is very
similar to valuing other genres of art.
The most important criteria include the artist, whether the artwork is
signed, the subject matter, the medium and the condition. For instance, a
Currier & Ives chromolithograph equestrian print of a horse and jockey
dated 1892 and measuring 23 inches by 31 ½ inches sold this year at auction for $554. Whereas one of England’s finest
painters of horses, Sir Alfred James Munnings (1878-1959) painting titled Early
Morning, New Market, measuring 18 ¼ inches x 35 ¾ inches sold last year at
auction for $126,240. Whether a
print or paintings, equestrian artists had succeeded in immortalizing in art
the spectacle of horses and riders that are highly collectible in today’s
market.

* Colleen
Boyle is an appraisal consultant for Freeman’s, America’s oldest auction and
appraisal company. She holds
advanced degrees in Art History and a diploma in French fine and decorative
arts from Christie’s, Paris and regularly publishes and lectures about art and
antiques. She has appraised art and antiques for private collectors and
corporations throughout the U.S. www.freemansauction.com,[email protected], or 610-470-5340.