After Otto Eerelman, Australian Horse, 1898, Lithograph on Paper

Details

Description

Antique Australian Horse Portrait 1898, Colonial Equestrian Lithograph This original antique colour lithograph from 1898 depicts No. 39. Le Cheval … Read more Antique Australian Horse Portrait 1898, Colonial Equestrian Lithograph This original antique colour lithograph from 1898 depicts No. 39. Le Cheval Australien, the Australian horse, representing the robust colonial horse types developed in Australia during the nineteenth century. Bred for endurance, adaptability, and strength, Australian horses were essential to ranching, transport, and exploration, and were widely admired in Europe for their toughness and versatility. The horse is shown in a calm side-on portrait set within an open rural landscape, emphasizing sound conformation, balance, and practical elegance. Note: The work is offered unframed, enabling custom framing to personal or interior preferences. This sheet forms part of the distinguished Belgian equestrian series L’Espèce Chevaline à Travers le Monde. The series was issued as a deluxe loose-leaf publication rather than a bound book and consisted of 40 colour plates in total. Only 150 complete sets were produced, intended for breeders, collectors, and official equestrian institutions, making individual plates scarce and increasingly sought after. The lithograph was executed after a painting by Otto Eerelman, one of the leading European horse painters of the late nineteenth century. Eerelman was admired for his anatomical accuracy and dignified, unsentimental portrayal of horses, focusing on breed characteristics and ideal conformation rather than narrative scenes. His work provides an important visual record of global horse breeds at the height of classical breeding culture. On the reverse of the sheet is an original printed note reading: Espèce Chevaline. Ouvrage contenant 40 planches en couleurs. Édition de la Librairie Néerlandaise à Anvers. This verso inscription provides contemporary confirmation of the series title, the complete set of plates, and the Antwerp publisher. Issued as a finished loose sheet and intended for framing from the outset, this lithograph appeals both to collectors of equestrian and sporting art and to interior designers seeking refined yet characterful horse imagery. The open landscape, warm palette, and colonial setting make it particularly suitable for country houses, libraries, studies, or elegant modern interiors. This is an original nineteenth-century lithograph, not a reproduction or later print. Condition report: Good condition. Light, even age-related toning and scattered foxing consistent with age. Colours remain warm and well preserved. No folds or hard creases observed. Minor edge wear only. Framing suggestions: Ideal for a dark walnut or natural wood frame with a generous off-white or soft ivory mat. A wide mat enhances the landscape setting and gives the work a calm, museum-quality presence. Technique: Colour lithograph Maker: After Otto Eerelman, Netherlands / Belgium, circa 1898 See less