Masterpiece: Riders, the Meet, 1880 Equestrian Painting by French Society Horseman Oil on Canvas

A rare 19th-century oil on canvas by the aristocratic painter and distinguished collector, Count Charles Gaston Esmangart de Bournonville de Saint-Maurice (1831-1905). It depicts an equestrian gathering on a clear but moody autumn day, executed with a confident, loose brushstroke and sensitive use of colour.

Gaston de Saint Maurice was a key figure in Parisian high society during the Second Empire, a passionate collector and an enthusiastic horseman. He served for a decade (1868–1878) as the Grand Equerry to Khedive Isma'il Pasha and Director General of the Stables in Egypt. This practical expertise is evident in the confident and accurate portrayal of the horses in the scene, which is notoriously difficult to achieve.

De Saint Maurice was also a renowned collector of Islamic and European art. He is historically recognised as one of the earliest French collectors of Islamic Art, with approximately 400 objects from his collection acquired by the South Kensington Museum (now the V&A) in 1884. He was also prominently featured in James Tissot’s celebrated 1866 painting, "Cercle de la Rue Royale" now in the Musée d'Orsay. Gaston de Saint Maurice is mentioned both in Marcel Proust's "In Search of Lost Time" and in in Jacques Emile Blanche's "Memoirs". Please contact us to receive a newsletter written about this work and the artist.

Our painting was executed shortly after Gaston de Saint Maurice's return from Egypt to France in 1878.

The painting is presented in its original leaf gold frame by the master gilder Edmond Buquet (1841–1890), who is referenced in the archives of the Musée d'Orsay. The stencilled mark of Buquet is visible on the verso of the frame. The frame is a true collector's piece and a historical document in its own right.

Our oil on canvas measures 32.5 x 46.5 cm and is signed 'G DE ST MAURICE' and dated 1880 at the lower right. The overall framed size is 44 x 58 cm.

Nous parlons français, und wir sprechen auch Deutsch! Paintings may be viewed in Norwich and in Paris, as well as in London and Cambridge by appointment. Please contact us if you would like further details and images of an artwork.