Studio of James Seymour (1702-1752)

Studio of James Seymour (1702-1752) Portrait of a grey stallion, probably Old Crab (1722-1750) led by a groom in the livery of Lord Portmore oil on canvas 61 x 74.5cm Provenance: Estate of the 7th Earl of Craven (1957-1983), Sale, Phillips, London, 11 December 1984, lot 119, as 'Attributed to Robert Byng', when bought by the present owner The horse depicted here is in all probability Old Crab (1722-50) - who on the strength of a posthumous engraving by Houston after Thomas Spencer from 1755 of Crab (also held by a groom) surmounted with the arms of the 2nd Earl of Portmore (1700-85) is said by later authorities to have belonged to the Earl, though contemporary reports claim the horse belonged to Thomas Panton and retired to stud whilst in his ownership in 1730. Panton was however connected with Portmore and as the latter certainly owned a son of Old Crab and raced him as Portmore’s Crab, it is probable the Earl was a part owner of Old Crab with Panton and as the Earl was a leading figure in the horse racing and breeding world, his arms on the print would have added prestige on all fronts. The younger Crab was anyway a grey without the very apparent black that appears over both the quarters of the horse in the present painting and in the Houston print after Seymour. The livery of the groom in the present oil and in the 1755 engraving is certainly that of the Earl of Portmore. We are very grateful to David Oldrey for his help in suggesting the identity and ownership of the horse here depicted. The painting is executed in oil on canvas support which has been lined. The canvas is in plane and the paint layer is stable overall. The varnish is clear, even and glossy. Areas of overpaint are present in the background and have slightly discoloured but are acceptable from a normal viewing distance. Framed 81 x 93cm