Items Similar to English early 19th century painting of a chestnut hunter in a landscape
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 11
John Ferneley SeniorEnglish early 19th century painting of a chestnut hunter in a landscape
About the Item
A painting of a chestnut hunter in a landscape with a horse and rider accompanied by two hounds by a woodland river in the distance.
Signed and inscribed 'Melton Mowbray', lower left.
Oil on canvas in a giltwood frame.
John Ferneley Sr (1782-1860) was born the son of a Leicestershire wheelwright, the youngest of six children. He is known as one of the great British equine artists, perhaps only second to Stubbs in terms of raw ability.
Ferneley originally worked with his father, until by chance the Duke of Rutland saw some of his work on the side of a cart on which Ferneley and his father had been working. The Duke was so impressed with Ferneley that he persuaded John's father to allow him to become the pupil of Benjamin Marshall. Ferneley was so talented that apparently he produced almost perfect copies of his tutor's paintings and they were said to have been indistinguishable from the master’s. Marshall also enrolled him as a student of the Royal Academy Schools.
In 1804 Ferneley paid a man named Thomas Harrison to undertake his compulsory army service - a practice that was commonplace at the time. It was ironic that his first commission then came from the Leicestershire militia.
From then on he received widespread commissions and his reputation grew. Between 1808 and 1811 he made frequent trips to Ireland , where he painted pictures for the gentry. He established himself in Melton Mowbray where he built a studio and later a house, Elgin Lodge, on the Sleaford Road , where he remained for the rest of his life.
His work became very fashionable, and his patrons included many dukes and earls as well as some of the most famous personalities of the time such as Beau Brummel and the Count D’Orsay. It must have been a credit to his personality and intelligence that from such humble beginnings he was accepted as a friend of the Meltonians and his house was the Sunday afternoon meeting place for many of them. Ferneley would hunt, shoot and fish as a guest of many of his titled patrons.
Ferneley’s best work was painted in the period of 1810 to 1850, when he displayed his full repertoire of hunting, racing and horse scenes. His painting of horses was superb, his figures were at first less good, but he became a close friend of Sir Francis Grant who gave his some help with the painting of figures while Ferneley gave Grant lessons in horse painting. They combined on several procures, one painting figures and the other horses. Ferneley had a fine use of colour and his pictures are comparable to Marshall and second only to Stubbs. He signed very delicately, often with a pin head in the wet paint and often on the bar of a fence, stable door or other obscure part of the painting. His signature is always very distinguishable from his son John Junior who normally signed heavily in black in the corner of the painting.
Ferneley painted his last picture in 1860 at the age of seventy-eight.
Literature: Sally Mitchell, The Dictionary of British Equestrian Artists, 1985
- Creator:John Ferneley Senior (1782 - 1860, British)
- Dimensions:Height: 33.47 in (85 cm)Width: 37.41 in (95 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Bath, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU95213291472
John Ferneley Senior
John E. Ferneley was an English painter who specialised in portraying sporting horses and hunting scenes. Although his rendition of horses was stylised, he is regarded as one of the great British equine artists, second perhaps only to George Stubbs. His work was exhibited between 1806 and 1853 at the Royal Academy. He traveled extensively in Ireland from 1806 to 1809, but returned to England to marry, and started working from Melton Mowbray. Here he built his studio and later a house, Elgin Lodge, on the Scalford Rd. Melton Mowbray was fast becoming a watering hole for the sporting fraternity and the place where modern fox-hunting developed in the late eighteenth century. Hugo Meynell, a wealthy local bred his hounds to keep up with the horses and riders in their pursuit over hedges and ditches. At this time riders began wearing the scarlet jackets which were to become traditional. Ferneley routinely was commissioned to paint the famous Quorn, Belvoir, and Cottesmore hunts.
About the Seller
5.0
Vetted Seller
These experienced sellers undergo a comprehensive evaluation by our team of in-house experts.
Established in 2002
1stDibs seller since 2015
37 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: 1 hour
Associations
The British Antique Dealers' AssociationLAPADA - The Association of Arts & Antiques DealersInternational Confederation of Art and Antique Dealers' Associations
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Bath, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- A large English 18th century painting of a Chestnut horseBy Thomas BeachLocated in Bath, SomersetA saddled chestnut hunter tethered to a post at the entrance to stables with a wooded landscape and a hill beyond. Signed and dated lower left, 'T. Beach pt., 1785'. Provenance: Anonymous sale, London, Christie's 28 May 1999. lot 15 Thomas Beach was essentially known as a portrait artist and the present painting is a rare example of his skill as an animal painter. His ability to convey a sense of the character of his sitters is evident here in the remarkably sensitive portrayal of the horse's expression. Beach painted...Category
18th Century English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- 19th century English School, Bay Horse and a Terrier in a LandscapeLocated in Bath, SomersetA bay hunter and a black and white short haired dog (possibly a bull terrier) in an extensive English landscape. a rustic barn in the near distance. Indistinctly signed 'Br...' and d...Category
Early 19th Century English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- A portrait of an English terrier dog standing in a walled garden, signed.lBy John EmmsLocated in Bath, SomersetA terrier named Joe standing in an English country house walled garden, painted by the eminent animal painter John Emms (1844-1912) in the late 19th cent...Category
1890s English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas
- 19th century portrait of a spaniel dog in a landscape, a country house beyondBy Charles Bilger SpaldingLocated in Bath, SomersetA 19th century black and white spaniel standing in a landscape, with a country house in the distance. Signed C B Spalding, lower right. Oil on canvas in a giltwood frame. Charles B...Category
19th Century English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- A portrait of two hound dogs standing in a landscape, signed and dated 1889By Henry Frederick Lucas LucasLocated in Bath, SomersetTwo Warwickshire hounds, named Hermit and Wildboy, standing in a landscape. Signed and dated 1889 (lower right) and signed, inscribed and dated on the reverse. Oil on canvas in a gil...Category
19th Century English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- A 19th century portrait of a greyhound dog in a verdant landscape, signedBy James Albert ClarkLocated in Bath, SomersetA chestnut coloured greyhound standing in a verdant landscape with a country cottage just visible in the far distance. Signed 'James Clark' (lower right) and dated 1899. Oil on canvas in a giltwood frame. James Albert Clark (1863-1955) was born in London into a family of animal painters on 17 February 1863 to artist James Clark and his second wife Frances Mary Anne...Category
Late 19th Century English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
You May Also Like
- A Sulky on the RoadLocated in Hillsborough, NCHorse and Sulky reminiscent of Currier and Ives by George Christopher Horner (1821-1881), British artist, imported by Saltire Gallerie. Signed and da...Category
1840s English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Scottish Keeper’s Pony and Hunting DogsBy John GiffordLocated in Hillsborough, NCScottish/British artist John Gifford is best known for his paintings of Setters, Spaniels and Ponies in the Scottish countryside and highlands. Sought after for his sporting artwor...Category
19th Century English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Fine Original 1830's Signed Oil Painting Portrait of Derby Winner RacehorseBy John Frederick Herring Sr.Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire"Dangerous" Portrait of the 1833 Derby racehorse winner by John Frederick Herring Snr (1795-1865) British signed lower left, titled lower right oil painting on canvas: 10 x 14 inches...Category
1830s English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsCanvas, Oil
- Large Antique English Dog Oil Painting with Kitten Signed & Dated 1927 framedLocated in Cirencester, Gloucestershire"Touch it if you dare!" English artist, signed and dated 1927 oil on canvas, framed framed: 25 x 31 inches canvas: 18 x 24 inches provenance: private collection, England condition: v...Category
1920s English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas
- Edmund Bristow, Farmyard With White Mare, Oil PaintingBy Edmund BristowLocated in Cheltenham, GBThis fine mid-19th-century oil painting by British artist Edmund Bristow (1787-1876) depicts a farmhouse with a saddled white mare taking water while a cockerel looks on. An older ma...Category
1850s English School Animal Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas
- Original 1940's MID CENTURY Horses stylised oil painting listed English PainterBy Frederick Charles HerrickLocated in Cirencester, GBARTIST: Frederick Charles Herrick (1887-1970) English TITLE: "Stylised Horses In A Landscape" SIGNED: verso MEDIUM: oil on SIZE: 73cm x 57cm inc frame CONDITION: very good DETAIL...Category
Mid-20th Century English School Landscape Paintings
MaterialsOil
Recently Viewed
View AllMore Ways To Browse
English Masters
John English
19th Century English Paintings
Antique English Bar
English Scenes Paintings
Son Of A Man
English Royal Painting
Hunter Century
John English Painting
19th Century Painting With A River
Master Copy Painting
Ironic Painting
Royal Art Lodge
John English Oil Painting
19th Century Paintings Of Horses
Antique Door Painting
School Of Fish Painting
Irish School