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DOS2005-PC-155
The Portraiture of White Nose
DOS2005-PC-155

The Portraiture of White Nose

Date1756
After work by Thomas Spencer (1700 - 1763/67)
Engraver Richard Houston (1721-1775)
OriginEngland, London
MediumMezzotint with etching and line engraving
DimensionsOverall: 13 1/8 × 16 1/8in. (33.3 × 41cm) Other (Plate): 11 3/4 × 13 7/8in. (29.8 × 35.2cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1955-120
DescriptionLower margin reads: "T. Spencer del./ R. Houston fecit./ The Portraiture OF White-Nose,/ This Excellent Stallion was bred by the R.t. Hon.ble. the L.d. Middleton, he was got by the Godolphin Arabian his Dam was got/ by Childers out of a full Sister to Blaze, he got the R.t. Hon.ble. the L.d. Onslow's Victorious, M.r. Fenwick's Duchess & M.r. Roger's/ Arian: afterwards became the property of his Grace y.e Duke of Marlborough who presented him to y.e R.t. Hon.ble. y.e Earl of Portmore./ Publish'd March. 1756./ 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.

Whitenose was a racehorse belonging to foaled in 1722 and died suddenly in 1755. He was sired by the famous Godolphin Arabian and he sired Victorious (seen in 1941-111) and Cassandra who was imported to Virginia by John Baylor in 1764 after she was bred with famous racehorse Shakespeare before her departure. Their foal, Stella (fl. 1764) was the dam of Harris' Eclipse, a famous American thoroughbred.

Lower margin reads: "The Portraiture OF White-Nose, This Excellent Stallion was bred by the R.t. Hon.ble. the L.d. Middleton, he was got by the Godolphin Arabian his Dam was got/ by Childers out of a full Sister to Blaze, he got the R.t. Hon.ble. the L.d. Onslow's Victorious, M.r. Fenwick's Duchess & M.r. Roger's Arian: afterwards became the property of his Grace y.e Duke of Marlborough who presented him to y.e R.t. Hon.ble. y.e Earl of Portmore."