1167. SIR JOSEPH EDGAR BOEHM R.A (BRITISH, 1834-1890), 'SUFFOLK PUNCH' or 'STALLION & GROOM'.

rich dark patinated bronze, the naturalistic ground on a stepped oval base signed 'Boehm fecit', height 59cm, base length 50cm

*this example inspected and verified by LAPADA bronze specialist, May 2021

**Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm was the favourite sculptor of Queen Victoria and the royal family. From Hungarian parentage, born in Austria, Boehm moved to England in 1862 becoming a British subject three years later. Boehm was a highly successful sculptor, with many of his works in public spaces in London: General Charles Gordon in St Paul's Cathedral, The Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner, and many portrait busts in the National Portrait Gallery, are some examples of his prolific work.

Illustrated in "Animals in Bronze" by Christopher Payne, page 357, it was incorrectly catalogued then as "Suffolk Punch" after which the name has stuck. The bronze "The Cart Stallion with Groom" was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1869 in the Sculpture Gallery (catalogue number 1199), and the same sculpture was then used with minor changes to create "The Horse and his Master" exhibited at the RA in 1874 and can now be found in Malvern Park Solihull.

***A write up on this bronze can also be found in the December 2022 issue of Hounds Magazine.