Rare "Knight of St. George" Equestrian Painting by Edward Troye

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Rare "Knight of St. George" Equestrian Painting by Edward Troye

About the Item

A fine depiction of the "Knight of St. George", foaled in 1851, the work is executed in oil on paper and was subsequently laid down on wood panel. It is intricate while having an overall bleary styling of details, the anatomical features of the proud animal brought out slowly the more it is examined; note the fine muscularity of his legs and shoulders, the tight sinews of his neck and textured suggestion of muscle groups in the haunches. The background is subtle and understated with an overall glazed surface that emphasizes the animal. The present work was acquired from Sotheby's with a provenance of ownership from the estate of Troye's good friend and benefactor Alexander Keene Richards. It remained in the Richards family through 1921. It is most a rare find on the open market. Born in Switzerland on July 12th of 1808, Edward Troye would become one of the foremost painters of American horses in the mid-nineteenth century. After studying painting and drawing in England, he immigrated to the United States in 1831. In 1832 he submitted three paintings to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, which earned him his first commission for a horse painting by thoroughbred breeder John Charles Craig of Pennsylvania. This was a most fortunate turn of events for Troye, as Craig introduced him to many affluent horse owners and breeders at Long Island's Union Course. The resulting commissions kept him busy and profitable and during these pre-photographic days also led to an extensive image record of prominent horses that would otherwise have been lost forever. Troye moved to Central Kentucky after marrying Cornelia Ann Van de Graff in 1839, where they would live for the next 35 years while he continued to paint commissions for owners throughout the state. He is believed to have painted at least 350 horses throughout the South and his work garnered serious attention, including the American Turf Register and the Sporting Magazine where twenty-one of his paintings were used over the years. In 1849 Troye accepted a position at Spring Hill College in Alabama as professor of painting and French and he served there through 1855. He left to travel throughout Europe with his friend Alexander Keene Richards. During this period he painted portraits of Arabian stallions and extended his travel through the Middle East, including extensive travel in Syria. Upon his return the following year, Troye wrote a volume that would later be published in 1867 titled Race Horse of America. He retired to Owens Crossroads, Alabama where he maintained a close friendship with Alexander Richards; it was during one of his visits to the Richards' home in July of 1874 that he unexpectedly died of pneumonia at the age of just 66. Provenance: Alexander Keene Richards 1881: Mrs. Keene Richards 1921: Acquired from the above by Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords Sotheby's, New York: The Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Walter M. Jeffords, Sale N08016, 28 October 2004, Lot 137, achieved $ 8400 USD Acquired from the above by a private Virginia collector Measurements: 11 1/2" H x 14 1/2" W [panel]; 12 5/8" H x 15 5/8" W x 1 3/8" D [frame].

Dimensions:
Height: 12.63 in (32.09 cm)Width: 15.63 in (39.71 cm)Depth: 1.38 in (3.51 cm)
Style:
Romantic (Of the Period)
Materials and Techniques:
Paint,Hand-Painted
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
19th Century
Date of Manufacture:
Unknown
Condition:
Wear consistent with age and use. Contemporary frame with earlier plaque attached verso. Light overall ripple to surface of the paper under raking light. Examination under UV shows presence of more recent varnish with no observed restoration or inpainting.
Seller Location:
Shippensburg, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: C1040251stDibs: LU1059023118962