peter upton - september 2014
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Peter UptonThe Arab Horse: an equine work of art
16 – 26 September 2014
1. Front cover: Galloping Mares, oil on canvas, signed, 36 x 48 inches (91.5 x 122 cm)
Peter Upton
The Arab Horse:an equine work of art
16 – 26 September 2014
Mathaf Gallery57 Jermyn Street, St James’s, London SW1Y 6LX
T: + 44 (0)20 7584 2396 M: + 44 (0)7785 250953 E:[email protected]
I am honoured to be a part of this latest exhibition of Peter Upton’s, even in so small a way as writing this brief introduction. The title of this exhibition speaks for itself, and indeed anyone acquainted with Peter will attest to his enthusiasm for and detailed knowledge of the arab horse and all things associated with it, from history of the desert tribes to the lives of individual horses bred in far flung corners of the world to modern day horses and the eclectic mixture of human characters involved with them, in equally diverse and fascinating ways.
Peter’s ubiquitous sketch books are filled with images of these characters, both equine and human, as well as amazing landscapes, historic buildings and anything else which may have caught his eye at any given moment. This exhibition, his latest of many, is the outcome of some of the horse sketches he has made over the years. The pictures each convey the individual character of the subject as well as its outward appearance, and this is what renders Peter’s works so precious: they express the essence of each of his subjects. HRH Princess Alia al Hussein
2. A Chestnut Colt and Groom oil on canvas, signed, 24 x 20 inches (61 x 51 cm)
“ThisChestnuteventuallybecameanationalchampion andwasexportedtotheUSA”
3. White Mare and Foal, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm)
“TheMareturnstocallherColtfoalwhocomestrotting”
4. A Mare and her Daughter oil on canvas, signed, 18 x 24 inches (45.5 x 61 cm)
“AlthoughtheMareisaChestnut,itisclearthat herlittledaughterwilleventuallyturnGrey”
5. A Mare and her Son oil on canvas, signed, 18 x 24 inches (45.5 x 61 cm)
“ArichChestnutMare,havingachattoherson– probablyofferingadvice!”
6. A Bay, Chestnut and a Grey, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 30 inches (51 x 76 cm)
“ontheirwaybacktothetents”
7. Trotting Mares and Foals, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 30 inches (51 x 76 cm)
“ThreebroodMaresandtheirwell-grownfoals.OneisaColtwithhistailup!”
8. The Fleabitten Grey Mare, oil on canvas, signed, 24 x 30 inches (61 x 76 cm)
“AfavouritecoatcolourandfoundalotintheArabbreed.AwonderfulMare,fulloffemininetypeandgoodconformation”
9. Halima and Haboub, oil on canvas, signed, 36 x 48 inches (91.5 x 122 cm)
“LargepaintingofaBayUmArgub,andadarkGreyKehiletAjuztrottingoutthroughthesand.Bothgreatmovers”
10. Three Sheykhs, oil on canvas, signed, 24 x 30 inches (61 x 76 cm)
“EachrideshisownwarMare”
11. The Falconers oil on canvas, signed, 24 x 20 inches (61 x 51 cm)
“ThispictureincludestwoBedouinandfourfalcons, somestillbeingtiedtotheirwokars,onebirdishidden bythenearmanstoopingdowntotiehisfalcontoits block.ItsshadowcanbeseentotheleftoftheBedouin”
12. Saker Falcons oil on canvas, signed, 30 x 24 inches (76 x 61 cm)
“Twosakerfalconsatrestbeforeanafternoon huntinghoubarainthedesert”
13. Bedouin Riders, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 30 inches (51 x 76 cm)
“Attar,HassanandfourothersontheirMares”
14. Saluki, oil on card, signed, 12 x 161/2 inches (30.5 x 42 cm)
“AstudyofaSalukiinthedesertfromwhencehecame –alleleganceandspeed”
15. The led Mare, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm)
“ABedouinonhiscamel,withhiswarMarebeingled,which washowtheytravelledwhenonlongjourneys”
16. Four Greys and a Chestnut, Egypt, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 30 inches (51 x 76 cm)
“ThispaintingisbasedonsketchesdoneattheEgyptianStateStud(EAO).TheMares spendthedayoutinsandpaddocks,withfeedingtroughs,asintheforeground”
17. Eleven Mares in the Dust, oil on canvas, signed, 24 x 30 inches (61 x 76 cm)
“Thethreeleaders,aGrey,aChestnutandaliverChestnutarefollowedthroughtherisingdustbyeightmoreMares”
18. The Bay Stallion, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm)
“AKehilanAjuzandratherfullofhimself”
19. Sunlight Patterns: two Mares, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 30 inches (51 x 76 cm)
“Asceneofsunlightandcastshadowsundersometress,fromasketchdoneataSpanishArabStud”
20. Two Foals, oil on board, signed, 10 x 12 inches (25.5 x 30.5 cm) 21. Two Sisters, oil on board, signed, 81/2 x 11 inches (21.5 x 28 cm)
“Actually twins, born to Fana, a 21 year old Mare”
22. Raissa – a Bay Mare, with two Grooms, oil on canvas, signed, 153/4 x 20 inches (40 x 51 cm)
23. A Chestnut Stallion, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm)
“AportraitbasedonayoungStallionIusedtoride”
24. A Chestnut and a Grey Mare, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm)
“AnberandAmal–friends”
25. A Chestnut and a Grey under some Palms, oil on canvas, signed, 18 x 24 inches (45.5 x 61 cm)
26. A Grey Egyptian – head study with a Groom oil on canvas, signed, 141/2 x 18 inches (37 x 45.5 cm)
27. A Chestnut Mare – head study oil on canvas, signed, 10 x 12 inches (25.5 x 30.5 cm)
28. The lone Camel Rider, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 30 inches (51 x 76 cm) 29. In the shade, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm)
30. Mares and Bedouin in a Wadi, oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 30 inches (51 x 76 cm)
31. A Four year old Grey Stallion oil on canvas, signed, 20 x 24 inches (51 x 61 cm)
“Stillquitedarkinhiscoat,withsomedapplesanddark legs,butquiteoldenoughtoshowoffashetrotsaround hisyard”
32. Three Grey Mares oil on canvas, signed, 18 x 24 inches (45.5 x 61 cm)
“ThreeMaresallofEgyptianbloodlines.Thegroupbythemanger includestwooldermaresandatwoyearoldfillygoingthroughthe pink(mahwardi)stage”
The Sladmore Gallery, who are kindly providing the venue for this exhibition, will be displaying a selection of bronze sculpture related to the Arab world
Barye’s Turkish horse will be included along with a collection of other fine bronzes by this sculptor who was a close friend and collaborator of Delacroix.
This Goshawk cast in a limited edition in bronze of just twelve examples is by Nick Bibby one of our stable of leading contemporary sculptors whose work is represented and shown at our sister gallery Sladmore Contemporary in Bruton Place.
TurkishHorse,c.1857byAntoine-LouisBarye(French,1796-1875)Height:13"(34cm),Length:7"(18cm)
GoshawkbyNickBibby(English,Contemporary) Height:15”(38cm),Length:17”(43cm)
19th and 20th Century Sculpture
57 Jermyn Street,St James’s,
London, SW1Y 6LXTel +44 (0) 207 629 1144Fax + 44 (0) 207 495 3668
Email [email protected]
The Gallery is open 10am to 6pm Monday to Friday11am to 5pm Saturday during this exhibition, or by appointment.
The Sladmore Gallery, who are kindly providing the venue for this exhibition, will be displaying a selection of bronze sculpture related to the Arab world
33. Back cover: Good Morning, oil on canvas, signed, 16 x 20 inches (40 x 51 cm)
“I was greatly affected by the painting of Peter Upton. Somehow, all these years later, I realise how much I have missed along the way. I am grateful to get it.
The way in which Peter captures the light and the living brilliance of natural colour, while respecting and honouring the authenticity of the Arabian Horse, so that the horse does not
become a caricature... his art is extraordinary and I really love it.”
RALPH SUAREZ (USA)
“I love the superb work of Peter Upton... probably the best living painter of Arabians.”
ARABIAN LINES FORUM
Peter Upton The Arab Horse: an equine work of art
Mathaf Gallery