Bay Hunter F.CLIFTON ( 1830 – 1898 )

Original animalier oil painting on canvas depicting a bay horse of the English Thoroughbred breed with a bay coat and two white frills alternating between the front and rear. Hunters were horses with a solid structure with an athletic physique and a tapered neck used mainly for fox hunting in the woods, hence the tradition of grooming the tail very short to avoid accidents during the action on the jump or in the gallop. The typical scene of animalier portraiture (horse portrait) takes place inside a large and comfortable brick box, equipped with a soft straw bed, a corner manger and a wooden door with two leaves. The atmosphere you breathe is the serene one that distinguishes English paintings, known for their deep knowledge of the equestrian world and the intimate bond they managed to establish with their animals, transforming them into absolute protagonists also in the artistic field.

F.CLIFTON, a painter of English origin active in the 19th century, known and appreciated for his portraits of Thoroughbreds involved in horse racing.
The painting is in excellent condition, with a contemporary frame, signed and dated.

Bibliography: Dictionary of British Artists

Museums where the works are exhibited:

Brooke Robinson Museum – National Trust Florence Court