Description

Title: Georgian Oil Painting Bay Race Horse Partisan Bred By 4th Duke of Grafton C1827

Description: Antique Georgian English Early 19th Century Oil Painting of Bay Hunter Racehorse “Partisan” Signed by James Barenger | Equestrian Horse Portrait

Subject & Medium
A fine early 19th-century English oil on canvas by renowned animal painter James Barenger, depicting the celebrated bay hunter racehorse “Partisan”. The horse stands in proud left-facing profile against a softly rendered green landscape, a classic image of Georgian equestrian elegance.

Composition & Technique
Barenger places Partisan centrally, his refined form silhouetted against rolling fields, trees, and open sky. The background is handled in gentle, muted greens, blues, and earthy browns, which set off the warm, rich bay coat of the horse to beautiful effect.
Delicate, controlled brushwork captures:
The sheen of muscle beneath the coat
The texture of mane, tail, and fine facial modelling
The small tufts of grass and ground detail underfoot
Subtle light and shadow give the painting depth and a lifelike, almost three-dimensional presence, characteristic of British sporting art of this period. The work combines accuracy, grace, and quiet grandeur – a true collector’s piece.

History of the Racehorse “Partisan”
Breeding & Background
Partisan was a bay colt foaled in 1811 at the Grafton stud. He was:
Bred and owned by George FitzRoy, 4th Duke of Grafton, one of the leading owner-breeders of the era
Sired by Walton (1799), a top son of Sir Peter Teazle and twice champion sire in Britain
Out of Parasol (1800), a high-class mare by Pot-8-Os, herself the dam of multiple classic winners
TB writers often describe him as a moderately good racehorse who became far more important as a sire than as a performer on the turf.
Partisan on the Turf
Partisan’s first season at three was moderately promising. He was nominated for the Derby but did not run, his trainer Robert Robson deciding he could not get him fully fit after a long, hard winter.
At three he ran seven times, winning three 200-guinea matches at Newmarket – first against another Walton son, Pinions, then against Magician (by Sorcerer), and a third against an Orville filly. He received a forfeit in a match against Little Turk (by Selim). Earlier in the season he ran unplaced in a three-year-old sweep won by Bourbon, and in July was unplaced in the Newmarket Town Plate. By October he was showing his true form, winning a sweepstakes at Newmarket and beating the older Curlew and the good race filly Medora, that year’s Oaks winner.
He continued to run respectably at Newmarket, and while he never became a Derby hero, he earned a reputation as a good, fast horse on the Rowley Mile. Partisan and many of his contemporaries raced during a quieter phase of English racing under Jockey Club rules – a “nadir” in terms of spectacle, but a critical period for developing the breed.
Partisan in the Stud
Partisan’s real legacy was forged at stud. Although he never headed the sires’ list, he became a highly influential stallion, getting:
Four classic winners:
Zeal – 1821 1,000 Guineas
Mameluke – 1827 Derby
Patron – 2,000 Guineas
Cyprian – Oaks
Three exceptionally important sire sons:
Gladiator – later a key stallion in France
Glaucus – high-class Cup horse and successful sire in Germany
Venison – top performer and influential sire in Britain
Through these sons, Partisan carried the Highflyer / Sir Peter Teazle line forward well into the later 19th century in both Britain and Europe.
He also got many daughters who bred on; among the most significant descendants through his male line are the broodmares Queen Mary and Queen Bertha, both of whom had a major long-term impact on the Thoroughbred.
Modern bloodline historians regard Partisan as a key link in the early thoroughbred stud book – a solid, game Newmarket runner who founded a long-lasting and widely influential sire line rather than dazzling purely with his own race record. He died in 1833, aged around 22.

Why that matters for this painting
Dated/inscribed 1827, this Barenger portrait shows Partisan at a moment when:
He had already proven himself on the track
His early crops were beginning to make their mark
The Duke of Grafton’s breeding programme was at full strength
This is almost certainly a stud portrait of an important foundation stallion, not just a “nice horse in a field”. It is exactly the kind of image a major owner would commission to celebrate a successful sire for display in a stud office, tack room or house corridor.

Signature & Inscriptions
Signed by James Barenger
Old label verso reading “Hunter In Landscape”
Verso inscription with the horse’s name “Partisan” and the date 1827

About the Artist – James Barenger (1780–1831)
James Barenger was a leading English painter of horses, dogs, and sporting scenes.
Exhibited 48 works at the Royal Academy
Also showed at the British Institution
His paintings were engraved for prestigious sporting publications
Barenger’s works continue to appear in major auction rooms, with some examples achieving over $37,000 USD
His blend of anatomical precision and refined surface handling makes his signed equestrian portraits particularly sought after by collectors of sporting and Georgian art.

Frame
Presented in an attractive later gilt wood frame, complementing the period character of the work. The painting is ready to hang and display.

Dimensions (Framed)
Height: 78 cm
Width: 90 cm
Depth: 4.5 cm

Provenance
Private collection.
Scholarly reasoning suggests the canvas, painted in 1827, by repute commissioned by or for the 4th Duke of Grafton / Grafton Stud at Euston Hall, owner of Partisan and a recorded patron of Barenger. It may have hung in the house or stud buildings and likely remained in a Grafton-related family collection for part of the 19th century.
This line of provenance is typical for British sporting art of the period and fits both the subject and Barenger’s known patronage, but it is not supported by published documentation and remains conjectural.
Later in private English collections until first recorded at auction:
Woolley & Wallis, Salisbury, 8 September 2020
Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD with further online offerings via NY Elizabeth and LiveAuctioneers

Why You’ll Love It
Rare signed work by a respected English equine artist
Portrait of “Partisan,” an influential early 19th-century racehorse and foundation sire
Beautiful harmony of earthy greens, warm bay tones, and soft atmospheric light
Fine realist brushwork with lifelike anatomical detail and texture
Ready-to-hang in a classic gilt wood frame
Ideal centrepiece for any equestrian, sporting, racing, or fine art collection
Friendly, professional customer service to support your purchase

Condition Report
Fine antique condition with attractive, age-related character.
There are foxing spots, craquelure, minor areas of paint loss and some light surface dust.
Professional paint touch-ups are visible in places on close inspection.
The canvas has been relined to provide stability and support.
The gilt frame shows light wear, scuffs and small chips consistent with age.

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Condition

Used

Buyer's Premium

20%

Georgian Oil Painting Bay Race Horse Partisan Bred By 4th Duke of Grafton C1827

Name: Georgian Oil Painting Bay Race Horse Partisan Bred By 4th Duke of Grafton C1827
SKU: 231882379
Price: 6000 USD
Availability: InStock