John Alexander Harrington Bird (1846-1936) Grey Arabian mar...

John Alexander Harrington Bird (1846-1936) Grey Arabian mare and her chestnut foal, in a moonlit desert oasis, 1907, signed and dated lower right, watercolour and gouache on paper, 35cm x 58.5cm John Alexander Harrington Bird was best known for his paintings of horses, particularly Arabians, as well as for his depictions of racing and hunting scenes. Educated in London and originally intended for a military career, Bird instead turned to art, studying at the Royal Academy Schools. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from the age of twenty-four and subsequently received a number of commissions from the Royal Family. In 1875 he travelled to Montreal, Canada, where he was appointed Director of Art to the Board of School Commissioners. While in Canada, he exhibited at the Royal Canadian Academy, becoming an Associate in 1880. Bird later returned to London, where he spent the remainder of his life, exhibiting at the Royal Academy and the Royal Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street. His particular ability lay in capturing the movement and character of horses. Arabian subjects became especially characteristic of his work, with stallions, mares and their handlers frequently depicted in atmospheric desert and Middle Eastern settings. PROVENANCE Henry Musgrave ''Bill'' Clark, Courthouse Farm Arab Horse Stud, near Lewes and thence by descent to the current owner.

Estimate:£5,000

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