A jockey in blue racing silks and a chestnut racehorse in a landscape

Details

Attributed to Richard Roper (fl. 1749-1765)
A jockey in blue racing silks and a chestnut racehorse in a landscape
oil on canvas
28¼ x 36 1/8 in. (71.8 x 91.8 cm.)

Provenance

By descent through the Dukes of Leeds, Hornby Castle, Yorkshire, to the present owner.

Literature

Hornby Castle, Catalogue of Pictures, London, 1898, p. 32, no. 397.
Historical and descriptive catalogue of pictures belonging to His Grace The Duke of Leeds, London, 1902, p. 104, no. 397.

Lot Essay

Richard Roper specialised in painting sporting themes such as coursing, hunting and shooting. He also painted portraits, some of which were exhibited at the Free Society and the Society of Artists in London between 1761 and 1765. His paintings have great evocative charm, instantly situating the viewer in the golden age of country sports. While his works may appear to be somewhat naïve in execution, they have a vigour and sensitivity that sets them apart from other equestrian portraits of his age.

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