Persimmon Race Horse Jockey Jack Watts Owned by the Prince of Wales At Newmarket





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Description



English School, Late 19th Century
Persimmon with Jockey Jack Watts, circa 1898

Oil on Panel | Royal Sporting and British Horse-Racing Portrait

Highlights

• Original late 19th-century oil painting on wooden panel.
• Depicts the celebrated Thoroughbred Persimmon with jockey Jack Watts.
• Persimmon was bred and owned by the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII.
• Winner of the 1896 Derby, St Leger and Jockey Club Stakes.
• Also victorious in the 1897 Ascot Gold Cup and Eclipse Stakes.
• Trained by Richard Marsh at Egerton House, Newmarket.
• Inscribed “PERSIMMON” to the lower centre.
• English provincial or naïve sporting school, circa 1898.
• In the tradition of John Frederick Herring Sr and compositionally related to Emil Adam’s royal portrait of Persimmon.
• Recently presented in a Larson-Juhl gilt moulded frame.
• Provenance from collections and dealers in Hampshire, Suffolk and Cheshire.

Introduction

A characterful late 19th-century English sporting oil painting depicting Persimmon, the celebrated royal Thoroughbred, with his jockey Jack Watts.

Painted circa 1898, the work shows Persimmon in profile within a simplified racecourse setting, identified by the inscription “PERSIMMON” beneath the horse. The white running rails, open landscape and formal presentation of horse and rider evoke Newmarket, where Persimmon was trained by Richard Marsh at Egerton House.

The composition belongs to the established tradition of British racehorse portraiture associated with John Frederick Herring Sr. It also bears a close compositional relationship to Emil Adam’s celebrated 1896 portrait of Persimmon with Jack Watts at Newmarket, now in the Royal Collection.

Catalogue Details

Artist: Unknown English provincial artist

School: English School

Date: Circa 1898

Title: Persimmon with Jockey Jack Watts

Medium: Oil on wooden panel

Genre: British sporting and equestrian art

Subject: Persimmon (1893–1908) with jockey Jack Watts

Setting: A racecourse setting associated with Newmarket

Inscription: “PERSIMMON” to the lower centre

Signature: Unsigned

Frame: Recent Larson-Juhl gilt moulded frame

Catalogue Note

Persimmon is depicted in strict profile, his elongated body occupying the centre of the panel. The jockey sits upright in the saddle, creating a formal and commemorative image rather than an active racing scene.

The painting is distinguished by its appealing provincial character. The horse’s form is slightly rigid and the modelling intentionally simplified, yet the artist pays careful attention to the bridle, saddle, racing colours and relationship between horse and rider.

Particularly engaging is Persimmon’s sharply defined eye, finished with a small point of reflected light. This detail gives the horse an alert, intelligent and almost watchful expression, adding personality to the otherwise restrained composition.

White running rails and a low horizon establish the racecourse setting without distracting from the principal subject. Greens, ochres and warm earth tones give the painting considerable decorative appeal.

The format draws upon the long-established British sporting tradition popularised by artists including John Frederick Herring Sr. More specifically, its subject and arrangement appear closely related to Emil Adam’s portrait of Persimmon with Jack Watts, painted following the horse’s successes in 1896 and preserved in the Royal Collection.

The Horse

Persimmon was foaled in 1893 and became one of the finest British Thoroughbreds of the late Victorian period.

Bred and owned by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII, he was by the undefeated racehorse and exceptionally influential sire St Simon, out of Perdita II.

Persimmon raced nine times between 1895 and 1897, winning seven races. His principal victories included:

• Coventry Stakes, 1895
• Richmond Stakes, 1895
• Epsom Derby, 1896
• St Leger Stakes, 1896
• Jockey Club Stakes, 1896
• Ascot Gold Cup, 1897
• Eclipse Stakes, 1897

His Derby victory on 3 June 1896 was greeted with considerable public enthusiasm. Royal ownership transformed the result into a nationally celebrated sporting occasion, and the race was also recorded by early motion-picture technology.

Following his retirement, Persimmon stood at the Royal Stud at Sandringham. He became an influential stallion and was Britain and Ireland’s leading sire on several occasions. His notable offspring included Sceptre, Keystone II, Your Majesty and Perola.

The Jockey

John “Jack” Watts was one of the leading jockeys of the late Victorian period.

Known for his judgement, balance and composure, Watts rode Persimmon in several of his greatest victories. In the 1896 Derby, he guided the colt to victory over his principal rival, St Frusquin.

Watts is shown upright and controlled, reflecting both his professional reputation and the formal conventions of racehorse portraiture.

The Owner

Persimmon was bred and owned by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales, who succeeded Queen Victoria as King Edward VII in 1901.

The Prince maintained an important racing and breeding operation at Sandringham and was deeply involved in the development of his bloodstock. Persimmon became one of his greatest successes.

The royal victory in the 1896 Derby strengthened the popular appeal of horse racing and connected the sport’s aristocratic traditions with a much wider national audience.

The Trainer

Richard Marsh trained Persimmon at Egerton House Stables in Newmarket.

As trainer to the Prince of Wales, Marsh was entrusted with some of the finest royal racehorses of the period. His careful preparation of Persimmon contributed to the horse’s achievements over distances ranging from the Eclipse Stakes to the Ascot Gold Cup.

The Artist and Artistic Context

The painting is attributed to an unidentified English provincial artist working during the late 19th century.

Its profile arrangement, clear identification of the horse and simplified landscape follow conventions established by leading British sporting painters, particularly John Frederick Herring Sr. These conventions continued to influence provincial horse portraiture long after Herring’s death in 1865.

The subject and composition also relate to Emil Adam’s formal portrait of Persimmon with Jack Watts at Newmarket, painted following the horse’s racing triumphs in 1896.

The present artist interprets this established imagery through a distinctly naïve and vernacular style. Simplified anatomy, expressive detail and direct handling contribute to the painting’s individual charm.

Provenance

Side Door Studio, Winchester, Hampshire.

Paul Ting, Thorpe, Suffolk.

Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD®.

Dimensions

Visible image:
29 cm wide × 23.5 cm high

Framed:
42.5 cm wide × 36.5 cm high × 4 cm deep

All measurements are approximate.

Condition Report

The wooden panel remains structurally sound and has a visible vertical join that currently appears stable.

The painted surface displays age-related spotting and staining, abrasions, scattered small paint losses and areas of localised varnish disturbance. Fine craquelure is visible throughout, particularly within the sky and foreground.

The paint layer is thinly applied in places, with visible brushwork and areas where the underlying ground shows through. This is consistent with the painting’s naïve provincial technique.

The reverse displays age-related handling marks and general surface wear.

The recent Larson-Juhl gilt moulded frame presents the painting attractively and complements its warm colouring. Overall, the work retains strong colour, clarity and decorative presence.

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



Reserve: $9,180.00

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