Lot description
Friedrich Wilhelm Keyl, German / English 1823-1871- Portrait of a chestnut horse with black mane, full-length; oil on board, signed and dedicated 'To G. J. Eldridge Esqs this little / remembrance of a faithful servant / and many pleasant rides, with / best regards of F. W. Keyl - 27 March 18[?]6 / 116 Cunningham Place / Maida Hill / London' on the reverse, 10.3 x 12.7 cm. Provenance: Private Collection, UK. Note: Keyl was a German-born artist who worked in England. He initially studied under Jakob Becker (1810-1872) in Frankfurt and Eugène Verboeckhoven (1798-1881) in Brussels, before becoming the only pupil of the pre-eminent animal painter Edwin Landseer (1802-1873). It was through Landseer that Keyl met Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, from whom he received a number of commissions throughout his career, including a painting of 'Looty', the Pekingese Lion dog, which was painted for Queen Victoria in 1861 [Royal Collection RCIN 406974]. The present work is charming example of the artist's animal portraiture, and effectively conveys a sense of the character and presence of a horse which was clearly beloved by its owner.