Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd has dated this piece to the 19th Century.
Subject Animal Study Portrait "Chestnut Bay Horse" set in Melton Mowbray landscape.
Side profile view facing left.
Such a beautiful depiction of the equestrian animal breed.
Oil on canvas.
Claude Lorraine Ferneley 1822-1891 was a member of the renowned family of painters which included his father, the significant sporting artist John E Ferneley, and he was the brother of John Jnr. C.N.Ferneley and Sarah. All three children were born in Melton Mowbray, Claude remaining there for his entire life and he was given his name in recognition of his godfather Claude Lorraine Smith who was a patron to sporting artists and squire of Enderby.
His father gave him instruction in painting and his influence is clearly discernible in his son’s work. Claude assisted his father on some paintings on occasion, perhaps more than did his siblings, but this was mainly restricted to working up the backgrounds and John Ferneley issued invoices commensurate with this practice, charging less for the work that his son had undertaken. Because he was so adept at painting in his father’s style, at times he was commissioned to do copies of John’s works, particularly following the latter’s death.
Claude was a most accomplished artist in his own right however and at his best was close to achieving the heights attained by his eminent father.He only exhibited one painting, of horses, which was at the Royal Academy in 1868 but other examples of paintings by him include: “A Meet of the Quorn at Kirby Gate”, “Mr S J Wellfit on his horse Barbarian”, “Whitebait”, “A Shooting Party in a Wood”, “A saddled bay Hunter in a Loosebox” and “Two Huntsman in a Landscape, the last three among the six in the collection of Leicester Museum and Art Gallery.
The British Museum also has a sketchbook in its collection that belonged to him.Father and son were also responsible for the building of the new organ in Melton Church and the honour of being the first to play it went to Claude. When he died he was laid to rest near the grave of his father at Thrussington a few miles west of Melton Mowbray, where his father had been born in 1782.
Since 1998 the record price for this artist at auction is $21,334 USD for a chestnut hunter with roan pony and dog before a stable, sold at Christie’s London in 2007. Reference sources The Dictionary of British Equestrian Artists - Sally Mitchell, The Dictionary of Victorian Painters - Christopher Wood, Dictionary of British Animal Painters – J C Wood, British Sporting Painters – Walter Shaw Sparrow, British Museum, Christie’s, Mutual Art.
Set in adecorative gilt frame.
Circa 19th century Victorian era dated 1880.
Such a delightful scene to the eye.
Provenance bought from a fine art antique auction sale label verso.
Highly sought after due to the collectible nature of the animal subject matter such elaborate detail.
The brushwork is of the highest exceptional quality.
With hanging thread on the back ready for immediate home wallmdisplay.
Incredible conversation piece for your guests.
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Condition report.
Offered in fine used condition.
Front canvas surface in good overall order.
Canvas has been relined, with a minor paint touch up near the top left corner on front, having craquelure and stains to the painting surface with some minor paint loss scuffs in places. Set in a later gilt frame with general wear, scuffs, dust to the frame commensurate with usage & age.
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Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd has dated this piece to the 19th Century.
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19th Century Oil Painting Bay Hunter Horse by Claude Lorraine Ferneley
