Herbert Haseltine American, 1877-1962

From the collection of the artist and thence by descent

This bronze is in excellent condition, with some very minor wear consistent with age.
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In 1922 Herbert Haseltine began the project which was to become his most distinctive sculptural legacy - his series of 26 British Champion Animals. Inspired by the simplified and stylised forms of Egyptian sculpture Haseltine set out to distil the essential characteristics of each breed, using prize-winning subjects. For the series Haseltine travelled extensively across Britain, sketching and modelling from life and subsequently finishing the models in his Paris studio.

Sudbourne Premier, foaled 1919, belonged to Percy C. Vestry of Eastham Park, Wickham Market. At a time when British achievements in Animal Husbandry were unparalelled Sudbourne Premier attained no fewer than 7 first class showings at Royal Agricultural shows. Haseltine described his encounter with the great Suffolk Punch stallion: "Sudbourne Premier was at his best: he stretched his neck and champed his bit, looking intelligently to right and left, showing a little of the whites of his eyes, which gave more life and expression to his already expressive and classical head." The careful gilding and patination of the bronze gives it a jewel-like quality. Haseltine's highly stylised depiction, though distanced from naturalism, retains a vivid quality due to the flickering attention of the eyes and the tense stance of his subject.

RELATED LITERATURE
American Sculpture in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, vol. II, pp. 609-614; Conner & Rosenkranz, pp. 43-52