John Ferneley Snr.

Arthur Ackermann & Son, London

Guy Paget, The Melton Mowbray of John Ferneley, Leicester, 1931, p.141, no.363

The following condition report was kindly provided by Simon Parkes Art Conservation, Inc.: This painting is in lovely condition. The canvas has an old glue lining, and the paint layer is probably slightly dirty. Under UV, very little restoration is visible. In the top of the cloud against the top edge of the picture, some inpainting is visible, and although there may be a few other spots and slight thinness to the landscape around the groom, the condition is very good.
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Physician, foaled in 1829, was by Brutendorf out of Primette.  He was owned by George Skipsey, with whom he won the maiden stakes at Newtown in 1832 as well as several races at Doncaster.  Physician came in second in the St. Leger at Liverpool, and ended his career with a total of 14 wins.

John Ferneley was a meticulous record keeper and recorded this painting in January of 1833 in his account book.  The work was produced during a particularly productive time in his life.  Ferneley was 51 years old and at the zenith of his popularity.  He was accepted into Melton Mowbray society, which was very unusual for an outsider, and his work was fashionable with the landed gentry.  Ferneley's social life and work life coexisted happily as he would shoot, hunt, and fish with many of his titled clients.