Equestrian Horse Oil Portrait William The Conqueror Signed by Samuel Spode c1840





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Description


Samuel Spode William the Conqueror Horse Portrait Oil Painting c.1840

Signed Early Victorian British Equestrian Oil on Canvas in a Gilt Frame

Highlights

• Original early Victorian equestrian oil painting dating to approximately 1840.

• Signed by the British sporting artist Samuel Spode.

• Inscribed with the horse’s name, “William the Conqueror.”

• Depicts a powerful brown horse standing in profile within its stable.

• Initials “WC” appear on both the turquoise blanket and wooden bucket.

• Finely observed stable interior with broom, cobbled floor and scattered straw.

• Professionally conserved by a Cheshire-based fine art conservator.

• Presented in a recently fitted Larson-Juhl gilt moulded frame.

• Exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum in November 2025.

• From a private equine collection and ready for immediate display.

Introduction

A fine original early Victorian equestrian oil painting by the British sporting artist Samuel Spode, depicting the named horse William the Conqueror standing within the quiet interior of his stable.

Dating to approximately 1840, the painting presents the horse in a full side profile, bridled and facing to the right. His rich brown coat is contrasted by a black mane and tail, while distinctive pale markings extending across his back lend individuality to the portrait.

The stable interior is filled with carefully observed details. A turquoise tartan blanket bearing the initials “WC” hangs over a wall-mounted rack, while a wooden bucket carries the same identifying initials. A stable broom rests against the wall, and scattered straw lies across the textured cobbled floor.

These personal accessories reinforce the identity of the horse and transform the composition from a formal animal portrait into an intimate record of Victorian stable life.

The painting is signed by Samuel Spode in the lower corner and inscribed with the horse’s name, “William the Conqueror.”

Catalogue Details

Artist: Samuel Spode

Artist’s Dates: 1798–1872

Title: William the Conqueror

Date: Circa 1840

Country of Origin: England

Period: Early Victorian

Medium: Oil on canvas

Support: Original canvas, apparently unlined

Subject: Named horse within a stable interior

Genre: British sporting and equestrian art

Signature: Signed Samuel Spode in the lower corner

Inscription: Inscribed “William the Conqueror”

Frame: Recently fitted Larson-Juhl decorative gilt moulded frame

Presentation: Fitted with hanging cord and ready for wall display

The horse stands calmly in profile, occupying the centre of the composition. Layered browns, sienna tones and darker umbers describe the musculature of the neck, shoulders, flanks and legs, while controlled highlights articulate the contours of the body.

Spode has treated the horse with tighter, more precise brushwork, allowing the stable walls, timber, straw and cobbled floor to be rendered with greater textural freedom. The turquoise blanket introduces a distinctive cool accent into an otherwise warm and naturalistic palette.

Catalogue Note

British equestrian portraiture flourished during the late 18th and 19th centuries, supported by patrons closely connected with racing, hunting, breeding and country life.

Commissioned horse portraits were intended to preserve the appearance, character and status of an individual animal. Names, stable accessories, blankets, buckets and identifying initials were often incorporated into the composition to reinforce the subject’s identity.

In the present work, the repeated initials “WC” establish a visual connection between the horse, the turquoise tartan blanket and the wooden stable bucket. These details provide a subtle narrative framework and suggest the care with which the animal and its surroundings were recorded.

Rather than showing William the Conqueror during competition or exercise, Spode depicts the horse at rest within his private stable. The calm pose and intimate setting create a dignified portrait that balances sporting interest with the atmosphere of everyday equestrian life.

The Artist

Samuel Spode was a British sporting and equestrian painter known for his portraits of racehorses, hunters and military mounts.

Born in 1798, he was a grandson of Josiah Spode, founder of the celebrated Spode pottery manufactory. Although connected to one of the best-known names in British ceramics, Samuel Spode established his own artistic reputation through paintings devoted principally to horses and sporting subjects.

His equestrian works demonstrate a practical understanding of anatomy, stance and individual character. Surviving paintings include named racehorses, hunters, military horses and wider sporting compositions.

A signed and dated racehorse portrait by Spode from 1833 is held within the National Trust collection at Florence Court, County Fermanagh. His paintings remain admired for their combination of equine observation, period atmosphere and documentary detail.

Spode died in Dublin in 1872.

Provenance

Private equine collection.

Acquired through a notable auction house.

Framing associated with Smiths, 23 Anglesea Street.

Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum, November 2025.

Dimensions

Framed Height: 77.5 cm or 30.51 inches

Framed Width: 90.5 cm or 35.63 inches

Framed Depth: 5 cm or 1.97 inches

Condition Report

The painting has undergone professional conservation treatment by a reputable Cheshire-based fine art conservator.

Areas of raised paint were consolidated and stabilised. The reverse of the canvas was impregnated with a wax-resin adhesive to provide additional support.

Surface dirt was carefully removed. Areas of paint loss were filled and levelled before sensitive retouching and varnishing.

Additional copper tacks were fitted to support the tacking edges. A missing stretcher key was replaced, the canvas was re-tensioned and the keys were secured.

The painted surface is now stable but retains age-related craquelure consistent with an early Victorian oil painting. Historic restoration and conservation interventions remain part of the painting’s physical history.

The painting is apparently unlined. It is presented in a recently fitted Larson-Juhl decorative gilt moulded frame, which complements its period character.

The frame is in good presentational condition with any minor imperfections consistent with handling and installation.

Please review all listing photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the condition report. Additional photographs and conservation information are available upon request.



Reserve: $12,960.00

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