British 19th Century Hunting Charge Grey & Chestnut GallopingHorses Oil Painting Signed Thomas Smythe

Details

Description

Thomas Smythe Victorian Hunting Charge Grey & Chestnut Horses Galloping Sporting Oil Painting

Large British Equestrian Scene With Galloping Horses, … Read more Thomas Smythe Victorian Hunting Charge Grey & Chestnut Horses Galloping Sporting Oil Painting

Large British Equestrian Scene With Galloping Horses, Hunt Riders And Hounds

Highlights

Large Victorian sporting oil painting by Thomas Smythe
Signed T Smythe
Oil on canvas
Dynamic hunting charge across open countryside
Vivid red-coated huntsman upon a white horse
Second rider in dark coat and top hat
Additional riders and hounds receding into the landscape
Atmospheric blue-grey sky and expansive countryside
Decorative swept gilt frame
Documented Wilkinson's Auctioneers provenance
Auction 0094, Lot 586, 9 October 2022
Approximately 85 x 120 cm framed
Excellent statement artwork for country-house, traditional or eclectic interiors
Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®
Supplied with a Certificate of Sale from Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®

Introduction

An impressive large-scale Victorian sporting painting by Suffolk artist Thomas Smythe (1825–1906), depicting a mounted hunting party charging across open English countryside.

The principal rider, dressed in a vivid scarlet hunting coat and white breeches, is shown leaning forward upon a striking white horse in full gallop. Immediately behind, a second gentleman wearing a dark riding coat and tall top hat follows upon a rich brown horse.

Further riders continue into the middle and distant landscape, while a pack of hounds can be seen running across the field to the left.

The combination of energetic horses, elegant sporting costume and atmospheric countryside creates a classic Victorian sporting composition with substantial decorative appeal.

Catalogue Details

Artist: Thomas Smythe (1825–1906)

Title: *Hunting Charge*

Medium: Oil on canvas

Signature: Signed lower left T Smythe

Date: 19th century / Victorian

Subject: Hunting / Equestrian / Sporting Landscape

Canvas: approximately 71 x 107 cm

Framed size: approximately 85 x 120 cm

Frame: Decorative swept gilt frame

Catalogue Note

The enduring appeal of Victorian sporting art lies in its combination of social history, equestrianism, animal painting and landscape.

Smythe brings all four elements together in this composition.

The white horse dominates the centre of the picture, its powerful form modelled in varied warm and cool tones. The rider's bright red coat creates an immediate focal point, while the richly coloured brown horse behind establishes depth and contrast.

The smaller mounted figures in the distance create a carefully graded recession towards the tree line, while the hounds at left introduce a rapid horizontal movement through the foreground.

The atmospheric sky and softly worked landscape extend the composition well beyond the central sporting action, giving the picture the scale and presence of a substantial landscape painting.

Housed in a decorative swept gilt frame, it would make a particularly effective statement work for a traditional country interior, equestrian collection or carefully curated eclectic setting.

The Artist

Thomas Smythe (1825–1906) was a British landscape and animal painter associated with Suffolk.

Born in Ipswich, he developed a professional career painting landscapes, rustic scenes, animals and rural subjects and exhibited extensively during the nineteenth century.

He exhibited seventeen works with the Society of British Artists and was an active member of the Ipswich Fine Art Club from 1878 to 1903.

His paintings demonstrate a particular interest in animals and the countryside, making sporting scenes such as this a natural expression of his artistic interests.

Smythe was the younger brother of fellow Suffolk artist Edward Robert Smythe and forms part of the notable Smythe family tradition within East Anglian art.

Provenance

Private collection.

Wilkinson's Auctioneers Ltd, Auction 0094, Private Collections, Lot 586, 9 October 2022.

The original auction invoice, No. 202, records:

“Thomas Smythe (1825-1906). An Oil on Canvas: Hunting Scene, signed lower left 28" x 42" (71 cm x 107 cm), in a decorative swept gilt frame, 33½" x 47¼" (85 cm x 120 cm).”

Original auction documentation retained.

Subsequently curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Dimensions

Approximately:

Canvas: 71 cm x 107 cm

Framed height: 85 cm

Framed width: 120 cm

Frame depth: approximately 5 cm

Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution

The artwork will be supplied with a Certificate of Sale & Dealer Attribution issued by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®, recording the artwork’s catalogue details, attribution, provenance as stated, and details of the sale. This document accompanies the work as part of its ongoing ownership and provenance record.


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