Pair of horses, mid‑20th century

Signed work, mid‑20th century. Oil on board, 20.5 cm (8.07 in) x 25 cm (9.84 in). Guilloché frames: 50 cm (19.69 in) x 60 cm (23.62 in).

Travel through Italy and Morocco, combined with an in‑depth anatomical study of horses, forms the foundation of equestrian painting’s success within 18th‑century English aristocratic circles. This interest traces back to the famous Royal Ascot race, inaugurated in 1711 and still held near Windsor Castle. A concrete example of this passion is George Stubbs’ masterpiece Whistlejacket (oil on canvas, 292 cm / 114.96 in x 246.4 cm / 97.01 in), painted in 1762 for the second Marquess of Rockingham and now housed at the London National Gallery.