Edward Lloyd of Ellesmere (1818–1901) Important Victorian Equestrian Oil Painting Travelling to Chester (On the Road) — Dated 4 August 1874

Details

Description

Edward Lloyd of Ellesmere (1818–1901)
Important Victorian Equestrian Oil Painting
Travelling to Chester (On the Road) — dated 4 August … Read more Edward Lloyd of Ellesmere (1818–1901)
Important Victorian Equestrian Oil Painting
Travelling to Chester (On the Road) — dated 4 August 1874

Subject & Medium
Oil on canvas. A richly narrative Victorian equestrian and travel scene depicting a horse dealer riding along a country road toward Chester market, leading a string of horses. A weathered signpost points the way to “Chester”, while additional riders and horses appear in the distance, reinforcing the sense of shared movement toward the fair. A classic 19th-century British sporting and rural subject.

Composition & Technique
Lloyd constructs the painting around a strong sense of forward movement: the road rises toward the crest, the horses advance in a natural sequence, and the signpost provides a clear narrative anchor.
The horses are painted with excellent anatomical accuracy, each distinct in weight, stance, and character.
The signpost transforms the scene from a simple country ride into a story with purpose and destination.
The pale sky and distant hills create atmosphere and depth, while the roadside details add texture and realism.
The handling is characteristic of fine Victorian sporting art: more detailed and structured in the horses and tack, looser and more atmospheric in the sky and landscape, ensuring the picture reads beautifully from across a room.

About the Artist
Edward Lloyd was a Shropshire-based British sporting and animal painter, strongly associated with Ellesmere. He is best known for his equine subjects and rural sporting scenes and exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1861. His work has long been appreciated by collectors who value truthful animal painting, strong draftsmanship, and narrative landscape composition.

Historical Importance
This painting belongs to the great British tradition of 19th-century sporting and equestrian art, works historically collected for country houses, libraries, and stable offices as records of rural life and horse culture.
This is the same collecting world associated with major equestrian patronage such as the Marquess of Anglesey (the Paget family of Plas Newydd) and, in the 20th century, with international connoisseurs such as Paul Mellon, whose collecting helped establish British sporting art on a museum level. This reflects the long-standing market for quality British horse painting, not only the most famous names but also highly skilled specialists such as Lloyd.
(No claim is made that this specific painting belonged to those collections.)
Signed
Signed and inscribed “Edward Lloyd, Ellesmere” and dated “Aug 4 1874”.
Framed
Presented in a fine original Victorian gilt composition frame with moulded floral and classical detailing, highly complementary to the period and subject.
Size
Framed size approximately:
33.26 in (84.5 cm) wide x 27.36 in (69.5 cm) high x 2.95 in (7.5 cm) deep

Provenance
From the Albert Helliwell deceased estate collection (UK)
Sold at Hutchinson Scott, unreserved estate sale, 30 October 2020, catalogued as “Travelling to Chester horse fair”, signed and dated 4 August 1874
Subsequently curated and offered by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Why You’ll Love It
A true 19th-century Victorian equestrian oil painting with clear narrative and sense of place
The signpost to Chester immediately tells the story and makes the painting a natural conversation piece
Beautifully observed horses, including a striking white horse that provides a strong visual focal point
A decorator-friendly palette of warm earth tones, soft sky, and natural greens
Clearly signed, inscribed, and precisely dated, which collectors strongly value
Perfect for a library, study, hallway, or equestrian interior, or as a character anchor in a modern setting
Belongs to the long and highly collectible tradition of British sporting and horse painting See less