The Portraiture of Sedbury

Date1755

After work by James Seymour (1702 - 1752)

Engraver Richard Houston (1721-1775)

Publisher Thomas Spencer (1700 - 1763/67)

OriginEngland, London

MediumMezzotint with etching and line engraving

DimensionsOverall: 13 × 15 3/4in. (33 × 40cm) Other (Plate): 11 7/8 × 14in. (30.2 × 35.6cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1955-118

DescriptionLower margin reads: "Seymour delin.t/ Houston fecit./ The Portraiture of Sedbury: / Sedbury is a Horse of beauty & justness; he was got by Partner, his Grand Sire was Jigg, his great Grand Sire was the Byerley Turk. Sedburys Dam was the / late Lord Darcy's whose demise soon after ensuing, she became the property of And. Wilkinson Esqr. of Yorkshire, in whose hands Sedbury was foald. Sedbury before a / Year Old was sold to Mr. Man of Barrow Bridge, Yorkshire, in whose hands he won the four Year Old at Black-hambleton, at five years Old he won 30 Guineas at Carlisle, 20 at / Bishop-Burton, 40 at Durham, & Martindale, in whose hands he has won 4 Kings / plates, 40 & 60 Guins. at Epsom, 50 at Winchester, 50 at Stockbridge, 50 at Oxford, & 50 at Gloucester. He is at present a Stallion & in the possession of Mr. Martindale. / Publish'd 10 March 1755 / as the Act directs"
Label TextThis print is part of a set of twelve portraits of famous racehorses published by artist and engraver Thomas Spencer, who was a student of James Seymour, the most famous sporting painter of the 1750s. Six of the portraits were by Seymour and six were by Spencer. The prints, engraved by Richard Houston, with a decorative rococo border that would have made these prints stand-out when framed. CWF owns five of the prints - see 1955-117 to 1955-121.

Lower margin reads: "Sedbury is a Horse of beauty & justness; he was got by Partner, his Grand Sire was Jigg, his great Grand Sire was the Byerley Turk. Sedburys Dam was the late Lord Darcy's whose demise soon after ensuing, she became the property of And. Wilkinson Esqr. of Yorkshire, in whose hands Sedbury was foald. Sedbury before a Year Old was sold to Mr. Man of Barrow Bridge, Yorkshire, in whose hands he won the four Year Old at Black-hambleton, at five years Old he won 30 Guineas at Carlisle, 20 at Bishop-Burton, 40 at Durham, & Martindale, in whose hands he has won 4 Kings plates, 40 & 60 Guins. at Epsom, 50 at Winchester, 50 at Stockbridge, 50 at Oxford, & 50 at Gloucester. He is at present a Stallion & in the possession of Mr. Martindale."