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"Spring" by Edwin Douglas. |
This website, created by Valerie Martin, contains scenes from her home village of Findon, West Sussex, U.K.
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"Spring" by Edwin Douglas. |
SPORT OF KINGS
Copyright Valerie Martin 2000
Please note that I cannot enter into correspondence on valuations of paintings nor advise on where best to sell items.
In Edwin Douglas, we have the case of a Scot, whose nationality we tend to forget because it is almost obscured by his long residence in England and in particular, Findon. Nevertheless, I am sure that the skirl of the bagpipes and Scottish songs were often heard coming from his house, Fox Down, on the Findon Downs, to remind any passer-by of his ancestry.
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"A Welsh Cob" painted by Edwin Douglas in 1888. |
In 1890, when he was 42 years old, Edwin exhibited the picture of a grey mare and foal at the Royal Academy — this study of a brood mare he called "England's Wealth" alluding to her horse-breeding capacity as being one of the country's greatest sources of prosperity. The business of equine breeding was, I understand, showing symptoms of being driven out at that time by the importation of so much inferior foreign blood. "England's Wealth" was eventually purchased by Mr. Wallis, of the French Gallery, London, for a client.
"British Matrons" which followed it the succeeding year also found a good place at the Royal Academy.
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"British Matrons" painted in 1889 by Edwin Douglas and sold to George McCulloch an Australian millionaire. |
The horse, like everything else with a perfect and complete symmetry of its own, is not an easy subject to portray. When a well-groomed thoroughbred has to be painted, the difficulty becomes almost an impossibility except under the brush of Edwin Douglas.
 Rattan |
During 1891, his time was almost entirely taken up by painting racehorses. He had commissions to paint three portraits of "Ratton", a beautiful chestnut horse belonging to Mr. A. Bonsor. This horse was the winner of many races and was considered the fastest five-furlong horse in England.
These were followed by "White Feather", a singularly good-looking bay and winner of the Goodwood Stakes, belonging to Mr. Ralli who built The Vale Stables in Findon (on the main A24 road south of the village). "Bay Comus", then the property of Mr. Evans, was painted next. This was closely followed by a canvas depicting "Leprechaun" a very fine dark chestnut, for Mr. Atkinson, a well-known amateur jockey of the day.
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"Mothers of our Kings to Be" painted in Edwin Douglas. |
Another masterpiece was "Mothers of our Kings to be" and the thoroughbred mares and foals charmed everyone. The central figure is a magnificent grey mare, full of quality. In the distance, more mares and foals are grazing. Immediately in the foreground is the grey mare's foal — a bay with white markings about his head, a very fine little fellow with good knees and hocks. He gives the impression that he will one day carry his owner's colours well ahead at Tattenham Corner and up the home straight to the winning post on the Epsom Downs. The light on the grey mare is beautiful and few other artists could give the velvety satin polish to the thoroughbred's coat as Edwin did.
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"Young England" painted in 1891 by Edwin Douglas. |
"Young England" was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1892 and the Victorian Era Exhibition in London in 1897.
 Edwin Douglas |
In 1892 Edwin received another local Findon commission from George A. Ralli of The Vale to paint his thoroughbred mare, "Beauty Fair", and following this came Edwin's most important commission while he lived in Findon — that of painting a horse named Persimmon.
| 3rd April 2006 Dear Valerie, Edwin Douglas
If it is readable, I was hoping that you could fill in
the missing words. If not, let me know and I will try again. |
I cannot do any better than you, Donald.
 This is "Crawley" executed by Edwin Douglas in 1895. This racehorse was stabled at Findon and owned by Thomas Hoodless (1855-1910). At the back of this painting on the canvas support, it faintly reads "Douglas to Hoodless". |
Continue to begin the story of Newminster and on to Persimmon.
Back to Edwin
James Douglas Index
This is Findon — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon.
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E-mail: valeriemartin@findonvillage.com |
