July 14th, 2011
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/14/2011
Print, “Iroquois, Winner of the Derby Stakes at Epsom and the St. Ledger Stakes at Doncaster 1881. The Property of Mr. Pierre Lorillard” Painted by Harry Hall, engraved by E. G. Hester, London: A. H. Bailey & Co., Paris: Goupil & Co, New York: A. M. Knoedler & Co., 31-3/4" x 25-3/4", c. 1881. Near fine condition. Harry Hall (1814-1882) is best remembered for his formal portraiture of racehorses, often depicted with a trainer nearby and interesting architectural details in the distance. He became the major racehorse portraitist of his time and painted in a style similar to that of J. F. Herring Sr., the leading racehorse portraitist prior to Hall. Harry Hall's earliest artwork was for Tattersall's British Racehorses and The Sporting Review. For a while, he served as the chief artist for The Field. He was extremely industrious and much of his work was engraved. The Sporting Magazine published 114 of his plates. Hall soon took up permanent residence in Newmarket so as to be at the center of the racing scene. Similar to a present-day photographer, he was employed to capture the likenesses of racehorses on oil and canvas. This he did with great exactitude so that his work is not only of artistic value, but also of value to historians of the Turf. His racehorses are often depicted as having slightly smaller heads and more muscular hindquarters, as was the fashion of the time. Hall exhibited eleven paintings at the Royal Academy between 1838 and 1864. A further 44 paintings were exhibited at places such as the British Institute and Suffolk Street. Iroquois (1878–1899), was the first American-bred Thoroughbred race horse to win the prestigious Epsom Derby at Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom, Surrey, England. He then went on to win the St. Leger Stakes at Doncaster Racecourse. In his first race as a three-year-old, Iroquois placed in the 2,000 Guineas. Most horseman (including Sam Hildreth) said he wasn’t quite himself at the time. Even so, England's legendary jockey, Fred Archer (called "The Tin Man"), was there that day and asked for the mount in the Epsom Derby even though he was contracted to ride the horses of Lord Falmouth. Lord Falmouth graciously allowed Archer to ride the American horse. Iroquois and Archer (in the cherry and black colors of Lorillard) beat the favorite, Peregrine, by a neck on June 1, 1881. (Peregrine had won the 2,000 Guineas.) Archer retained the mount on Iroquois for the St. Leger on September 14, 1881. They won against a field of fourteen. Iroquois' victory made him a byword in the United States; there was an immediate upswing in American racetrack attendance. Iroquois raced seven times as a three-year-old, winning five. As a winner of the Derby and the St. Leger, if Iroquois had won the 2,000 Guineas instead of coming in second, he would have taken England's Triple Crown.
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