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DOS2005-PC-197
The Portraiture of Sportley
DOS2005-PC-197

The Portraiture of Sportley

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 1/4in. (21.4 × 13.3cm)
Credit LineMuseum Purchase
Object number1961-266
DescriptionUpper right corner: "29"
Lower margin reads: "The PORTRAITURE of SPORTLEY./ The Property of the Right Hon.ble the Lord Massereene./ Sportey was a Mare of Size, Strength, Beauty, Speed and Bottom./ She was bred by Fulk Greville Esqr. and got by Spinner, who was/ got by Almanzor, who got Lord Weymouth's Whittington, and many/ Eminent Horses. Spinner was out of a daughter of Hautboy Dam/ of Ferror, Champion, the Darley Arabian, and many others, Spor-/ tley's Dam was got by the Somerset Diamond which was bred by Mr./ Curwen and got by Jews Trump which was out of a daughter of his bay/ Barb and his Chesnut Arabian the Dam of Diamond was got by the Turk that got Flanderkin his Great Grand Dam by the bay Barb/ his Great Grand Dam by the Westall Turk his Great Great Grand Dam/ by a Barb Horse, Almanzor was got by the Darley Arabian. / 1745 She won a 50.L Prize at Peterborough and a 1 Mile Match of 50 Guineas at Newmarket beating Lord Portmores Morecock Wt. 9.st 1746/ She won a Prize of 50.L at Warwick 1747 the Annual City Plate of 30.L/ at Westchester Likewise 10 Guineas allowed for the 2d. best at Bury &/ 50.L at Leicester, 1748, 50 L at Huntington, and 50 L at Hounslow. She soon/ after became the Property of Sr. Ralph Gore who sent her to Ireland/ in which Place She won 2 Kings Plates, 2 Prizes of 60 Guineas/ each and 1 of 50 Guineas."
Label TextThe 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."

The PORTRAITURE of SPORTLEY./ The Property of the Right Hon.ble the Lord Massereene./ Sportey was a Mare of Size, Strength, Beauty, Speed and Bottom./ She was bred by Fulk Greville Esqr. and got by Spinner, who was/ got by Almanzor, who got Lord Weymouth's Whittington, and many/ Eminent Horses. Spinner was out of a daughter of Hautboy Dam/ of Ferror, Champion, the Darley Arabian, and many others, Spor-/ tley's Dam was got by the Somerset Diamond which was bred by Mr./ Curwen and got by Jews Trump which was out of a daughter of his bay/ Barb and his Chesnut Arabian the Dam of Diamond was got by the Turk that got Flanderkin his Great Grand Dam by the bay Barb/ his Great Grand Dam by the Westall Turk his Great Great Grand Dam/ by a Barb Horse, Almanzor was got by the Darley Arabian. / 1745 She won a 50.L Prize at Peterborough and a 1 Mile Match of 50 Guineas at Newmarket beating Lord Portmores Morecock Wt. 9.st 1746/ She won a Prize of 50.L at Warwick 1747 the Annual City Plate of 30.L/ at Westchester Likewise 10 Guineas allowed for the 2d. best at Bury &/ 50.L at Leicester, 1748, 50 L at Huntington, and 50 L at Hounslow. She soon/ after became the Property of Sr. Ralph Gore who sent her to Ireland/ in which Place She won 2 Kings Plates, 2 Prizes of 60 Guineas/ each and 1 of 50 Guineas."