Pen and brown ink on laid paper, with cut corners
174 x 232 mm., 6 ¾ x 9 in.
Provenance:
Possibly Warwick Castle (as part of an album of 197
drawings);
Possibly with Spink's, London, who dispersed the
album;
Sir John Clermont Witt (1907-1982);
By descent until 2017
Seymour was one of the best known horse painters,
alongside John Wootton, of the mid eighteenth century. Born in London, the son
of a banker, he reportedly lived so extravagantly at Newmarket that his wealthy
father died bankrupt in 1739. He worked in Newmarket and produced confident
pencil and ink drawings on the spot which he used for large scale paintings. He
painted most of the best known horses of the period with examples of his work
being in the Royal Collection, British Museum, Yale Center for British Art, the
Tate Gallery and elsewhere. For more on the artist, see the exhibition catalogue
by William Drummond, The Ingenious Mr
Seymour, 1978.
Exhibited:
Possibly London, Spink's, An Exhibition of Drawings by James Seymour, November 1936;
London, Covent Garden Gallery, The Ingenious Mr Seymour, 8th June to
22nd July 1978, no.19
Inscribed
upper right: .D.
Boltons/Fearnought/sweating
Bodycolour
over pencil on laid paper
13.2
by 17.1 cm., 5 by 6 ? inches
Provenance:
Bought
by the Grandfather of the present owner
Seymour
was one of the best known horse painters, alongside John Wootton, of the mid
eighteenth century. Born in London, the son of a banker, he reportedly lived so
extravagantly at Newmarket that his wealthy father died bankrupt in 1739. He
worked in Newmarket and produced confident pencil drawings on the spot which he
used for large scale paintings. He painted most of the best known horses of the
period with examples of his work being in the Royal Collection, British Museum,
Yale Center for British Art, the Tate Gallery and elsewhere. For more on the
artist, see the exhibition catalogue by William Drummond, `The Ingenious Mr Seymour?, 1978.
Fearnought
was born circa 1725, bred by Sir William Ramsden of Byram, Yorkshire, from whom
he was purchased by the Duke of Bolton. He was said to be the best horse of his
time at Newmarket and raced from 1730 to 1733 over four miles.
Inscribed
lower right: L.d Lindsays/Archer
Bodycolour
over pencil on laid paper
13.6
by 17.3 cm., 5 ? by 6 ? inches
Provenance:
Bought
by the Grandfather of the present owner
Pencil on laid paper
14.4 by 17.8 cm., 5 ½ by 7 inches
Seymour was one of the best known horse painters, alongside John Wootton, of the mid eighteenth century. Born in London, the son of a banker, he reportedly lived so extravagantly at Newmarket that his wealthy father died bankrupt in 1739. He worked in Newmarket and produced confident pencil drawings on the spot which he used for large scale paintings. He painted most of the best known horses of the period with examples of his work being in the Royal Collection, British Museum, Yale Center for British Art, the Tate Gallery and elsewhere. For a drawing of a horse in a similar pose, see the exhibition catalogue by William Drummond, `The Ingenious Mr Seymour’, 1978, no. 38, ill. pl.6.