🐎 Victorian Equestrian Oil Painting of Racehorse William The Conqueror by Samuel Spode

🐎 Victorian Oil Painting of Racehorse “William The Conqueror” by Samuel Spode – Signed 1840 Equestrian Portrait in Original Gilt Frame

🎯 Subject & Medium 

This exceptional original oil on canvas, dated circa 1840, is by noted British sporting artist Samuel Spode (1798–1872). Titled “William The Conqueror”, the painting presents a full side-profile portrait of a brown thoroughbred gelding in his stable. The horse faces right, wearing a bridle, and is painted with exceptional care — showing off a strong black mane and tail, white freckling along the spine, and rich muscle tone.

The environment is filled with thoughtfully rendered stable details, including:

• A turquoise tartan blanket monogrammed “WC” draped on a curved wall rack

• A wooden water bucket also marked “WC”

• A sweeping broom resting along the back wall

• A cobbled stable floor, scattered with golden straw

This intimate and authentic composition captures the quiet dignity of a cherished racehorse, at rest and at home.

🖌️ Composition & Technique

Spode’s style is grounded in realism and classical equestrian portraiture, with a sensitive eye for texture and anatomy. The gelding is sculpted with layered brushwork, using warm tones of sienna, chestnut, and ochre to bring volume to the body. The mane and tail are built with bold, clean strokes of black, while white freckling adds subtle variation along the back ridge.

The brush technique varies by area:

• Crisp, refined strokes around the horse’s head and flanks

• Loose, expressive brushwork in the background and flooring

• Soft light from the upper left helps model the form and enhance the horse’s physical presence

Touches of turquoise, brass, straw yellow, and soft grey break the neutral tones and enrich the setting. The overall composition is balanced and painterly, yet detailed and observational — an evocative and timeless moment captured through 19th-century eyes.

✍️ Signed

• Signed by the artist Samuel Spode in the lower corner

• Inscribed with the horse’s name: “William The Conqueror”

• An authentic and collectible Victorian oil portrait

👨🎨 About the Artist – Samuel Spode (1798–1872)

Samuel Spode was a British artist known for his equestrian subjects and a descendant of the famous Spode pottery family. His works reflect both technical precision and deep affection for the animals he painted.

• Painted famous racehorses: Voltigeur, Caractacus, Birdcatcher

• Documented Copenhagen and Ronald, two of Britain's most famous military horses

• Known for The Pinckney Family Coursing at Stonehenge

• Works published in The Sporting Magazine, with top auction results reaching $53,125 USD

Though he worked primarily on commission and did not exhibit widely, Spode's work is historically valuable, highly detailed, and artistically rich, offering insight into Victorian racing and sporting life.

🖼️ Frame

Presented in its original gilt frame, this work retains an authentic early Victorian aesthetic. The frame shows wear, overpainting, and light restoration, consistent with its age.

• Includes rear hanging thread

• Ready for immediate display

📏 Dimensions Framed

• Height: 76 cm

• Width: 88.5 cm

• Depth: 4.5 cm

🏛️ Provenance 

• Private equine collection

• Label verso from framers Smiths of 23 Anglesea Street

• Acquired from a high-end southwest UK auction

• Part of the Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD collection

✅ Why You'll Love It 

✅ Rare, original Victorian oil painting of a named racehorse
✅ Signed and inscribed by noted British artist Samuel Spode
✅ Rich with authentic period details and atmospheric stable setting
✅ Perfect for collectors, historians, or equestrian interiors
✅ Framed and ready to hang – a timeless piece of 19th-century sporting art

📋 Condition Report

• Painting: Surface shows craquelure, foxing, and paint touch-ups in background

• Canvas: Unlined; areas of paint flaking in places

• Frame: Original with scuffs, wear, cracks, and repairs appropriate to age

• Overall: A well-preserved and atmospheric historic artwork

🌍 Worldwide Shipping Available
Professionally packaged and fully insured for safe international delivery.

🖼️ Available exclusively through Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

📩 Inquire now to secure this unique piece