This charming mid-19th-century oil painting by British artist W H Burch depicts a bay horse with saddle standing by a Georgian folly. It was probably once commissioned by the owners of a fine country house who doted on this impressive mare.

Little is known about W H Burch aside from one other equestrian piece that appeared at Christie’s in 2010. An inscription in the lower left reads ‘Houndsditch, City’, which refers to the City of London. An ancestry search revealed other Burch family members in this area during the mid-19th-century.

Signed, inscribed and housed within a later gilt frame.

Medium: Oil on canvas laid on board
Overall size: 23½” x 19½” / 60cm x 50cm
Year of creation: 1844
Condition: Artwork presents well. Craquelure but the paint is stable. Yellowed varnish. Minor abrasions. Frame with some light wear.