The Portraiture of Bald Charlotte or Lady Legs

Dateca. 1760

Publisher Henry Roberts (active 1730 - 1790)

After work by James Roberts (ca. 1725 - 1799)

OriginEngland, London

MediumEtching and line engraving

DimensionsOverall: 8 7/16 × 5 5/16in. (21.4 × 13.5cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1961-250

DescriptionUpper right corner reads: "10"
Lower margin reads: "This PORTRAITURE of BALD CHARLOTTE or LADY LEGS./ The Property of the R.t Hon. the Earl of Portmore/ Bald Charlotte was though to be y.e best Mare in this Kingdon in her time,/ she was bred by Capt. Appleyard of Yorkshire & got by Old Royal Son of Blun-/ derbuss Royal Mare & Holderneys Turk, Blunderbuss was got by Bustler Son/ of the Helmsley Turk, Charlotte's Dam was Daughter to ye Bethell Castaway her/ Grand Dam was a grey Mare of Capt. Appleyard's Father got by Brimmer/ Castaway was got by Old Merlin & Bustler got Merlin Brimmer was bred by/ y.e Darcy family out of a Royal Mare & Yellow Turk that got Spanker./ Bald Charlotte when 5 Years Old 1726 beat 23 Mares for ye Kings 100 Guineas/ at Black Hambleton the same Year she won the Octor. Stakes at Newmarket/ beating 7 Horses, and Apr. the 15 1727 at the same Place she won the Kings/ 100 Guineas for 5 years Old Mares carrying 10st one heat, the 18th Do carrying/ 18st she beat Mr. Ashby Swinger's Horse 17st 4 Miles 200 Guineas the same/ Year she won the Kings 100 Guineas for 6 Years Old at Winchester, weight/ 12st April the 20th 1729 carrying 9st she beat Sr. Robert Faggs Fanny Sst 71b/ 4 Miles 300 Guineas; 1741 when 20 Years Old she was a Brood Mare in/ the Duke of Somerset's Stud."
Label TextBald Charlotte or Lady Legs was an English important racehorse and broodmare whose progeny included Kitty Fisher (1756, out Cade and a mare thought to be Bald Charlotte's daughter with the Somerset Arabian) a horse woned by Carter Braxton at Eisling Green, a plantation on the York River in Virginia. (1) The print comes from a collection of forty engravings after the work of James Roberts and engraved by Henry Roberts entitled "The Sportsman's Pocket Companion" published around 1760. Though the horses were drawn by James Roberts, they were likely after other paintings and prints of famous racehorses. The majority of the horses represented in the prints raced between 1708-1755. The collection was originally bound, but the title page stated that "This Work is Contrived that it may be Framed & Glazed in various Sizes, & will make most elegant & pleasing Furniture."

Verse reads:
"This PORTRAITURE of BALD CHARLOTTE or LADY LEGS.
The Property of the R.t Hon. the Earl of Portmore
Bald Charlotte was though to be y.e best Mare in this Kingdon in her time,
she was bred by Capt. Appleyard of Yorkshire & got by Old Royal Son of Blun
derbuss Royal Mare & Holderneys Turk, Blunderbuss was got by Bustler Son
of the Helmsley Turk, Charlotte's Dam was Daughter to ye Bethell Castaway her
Grand Dam was a grey Mare of Capt. Appleyard's Father got by Brimmer
Castaway was got by Old Merlin & Bustler got Merlin Brimmer was bred by
y.e Darcy family out of a Royal Mare & Yellow Turk that got Spanker.
Bald Charlotte when 5 Years Old 1726 beat 23 Mares for ye Kings 100 Guineas
at Black Hambleton the same Year she won the Octor. Stakes at Newmarket
beating 7 Horses, and Apr. the 15 1727 at the same Place she won the Kings
100 Guineas for 5 years Old Mares carrying 10st one heat, the 18th Do carrying
18st she beat Mr. Ashby Swinger's Horse 17st 4 Miles 200 Guineas the same
Year she won the Kings 100 Guineas for 6 Years Old at Winchester, weight
12st April the 20th 1729 carrying 9st she beat Sr. Robert Faggs Fanny S.st 71b
4 Miles 300 Guineas; 1741 when 20 Years Old she was a Brood Mare in
the Duke of Somerset's Stud."

1) https://www.tbheritage.com/Portraits/BaldCharlotte.html