Thomas James Scott (Kentucky, 1824-1888) oil on canvas painting of the horse Springfield of Belle Meade Plantation. The horse is depicted standing in a stall in front of his feed box, on which the artist has painted his name. Artist signature T. J. Scott in lower right margin, dated 1885. 18" H x 24" W. Unframed. Provenance: Estate of Lynn Scholl Renau, Louisville, Kentucky. History: Springfield was foaled in 1878, the get/progeny of Belle Meade Plantation's famous sire Bonnie Scotland and competed at Saratoga. Exhibited, "The Horse in Decorative and Fine Art - Selections of Outstanding Equine Art Represented in National and Kentucky Collections," 2010, at the Headley-Whitney Museum in Lexington, Kentucky. Published in the exhibition catalogue "A Troye Legacy: Animal Painter, T. J. Scott" by Genevieve Baird Lacer on page 49. Biography (courtesy AskArt: The Artists' Bluebook): "Thomas J. Scott was born in Tullytown, Pennsylvania in 1824. His family relocated to Philadelphia where Scott attended Central High School, having as his Graphics Professor, Rembrandt Peale. He attended and graduated with a degree in Pharmacy at the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy in 1846. He worked as a druggist in Philadelphia for a few years, but was in Kentucky painting horses by 1856. He studied with Edward Troye, both painting the famous sire Lexington for his owner R.A. Alexander of Woodburn Farm the very same year, 1857. Scott painted horses for the most important early turfmen in Kentucky including Dr. Elisha Warfield, John M. Clay, James Grinstead, and Major B.G. Thomas. The Civil War interrupted Scott's animal painting pursuit and he served as Hospital Steward the entire war with the 21st Infantry Regiment Union. After the war he resumed his painting but also became a writer/correspondent for the sporting journal, "Turf, Field, and Farm". He wrote articles ranging from breeding practices to the care of horses under the pen name "Prog". He was a highly respected authority on the conformation of a horse and was respected by the top turfmen across the country". (Additional high-resolution photos are available at www.caseantiques.com.)

Fair, stable condition with overall light cracquelure. Relined. Several areas of bloom in varnish. Evident with black light: scattered areas of inpainting above horse in background, largest 2". on left side; shoulders of horse; to right of horse near tail 1 1/2"; and most of left bottom corner 9 1/2" x 6".