GILES, After Major Godfrey Douglas (1857-1941)

"The Derby 1896. won by H.R.H. The Prince of Wales' Persimmon. J. Watts. up. Second. Mr L. de Rothschild's St. Frusquin T. Loates. Won by a neck, amid the wildest enthusiasm. 11 started"

Paris, London & New York: Boussod, Valadon & Co., 1897. Photo-lithograph, coloured by hand, on thin paper, mounted, with autograph manuscript title beneath (as above) with further inscription "To Miss B.K. Lambert from G.D. Giles. Aug 21st 1897" Image size (including text): 16 3/8 x 23 3/4 inches. Sheet size: 26 x 33 3/4 inches.

A rare inscribed copy of Giles's spirited image of the famous victory of the Prince of Wales's horse Persimmon.

Godfrey Giles 'served in the army in Afghanistan and Egypt before leaving with the rank of Major in 1884. He had always sketched during his service career and took up painting seriously on resigning his commission. He studied under Carolus Duran in Paris. Giles worked in London, Newmarket and Edinburgh, where he died in February 1941. He provided illustrations for books and periodicals particularly on racing and polo. His paintings are often on a large scale with plenty of action' (Charles Lane British Racing Prints p.106). Persimmon (1893-1908) was a Thoroughbred racehorse whose racing career was from 1895 to 1897 during which he won 7 of 9 races, including the Epsom Derby, shown here.

Cf. Charles Lane British Racing Prints p.106 (chromolithographic version of the same scene).

Item #6347

Price: $2,750.00