NEW YORK.-Christie's New York’s Sporting Art auction on December 8 features a selection of exceptional portraits, hunting and racing paintings, in addition to twenty-three important English equine sculptures and the important private collection of paintings by Edmund Henry Osthaus, the pre-eminent American sporting-dog artist.

The auction provides exciting new potential for collectors’ continuing demand for paintings by Sir Alfred James Munnings. The market’s keen interest in this artist was confirmed by the resounding success of the Sporting Art sale at Christie’s King Street, London in May where, amongst other strong prices for works by the leading 20th century equestrian painter, his Portrait of Ruth Brady on Bugle Call fetched $2.7 million. The star among this sale’s works by Munnings is Portrait of a Gentleman, which was painted circa 1940, at the height of his equestrian portrait painting career, and demonstrates the artist’s confident and fluid brushstrokes typical of portraits from this period (estimate: $500,000-700,000). The ultimate study of the elegance of a bygone age, this portrait depicts a gentleman in tails riding a bay horse in profile. His challenging gaze is fixed on the viewer and his arm is extended while he is holding a top-hat, as though greeting someone beyond the canvas frame. Portrait of a Gentleman is consigned from the Estate of Guy Fairfax Cary, Jr., Newport, Rhode Island, and it resided with the family for several generations. Other exciting examples by Munnings include a highly finished oil sketch A Huntsman and Horses at Zenmor, 1918 and an exquisite watercolor, The Little Watering, 1910 (both estimated at: $200,000-300,000).

From the distinguished John W. Kluge Morven Collection are two works by John Frederick Herring, Senior, a stunning portrait Colonel Peel’s bay filly, Vulture, with jockey up, on Newmarket Heath, 1838 and The Bay Filly Vespa with her owner Sir Mark Wood, Bt. and her trainer, 1833 (both estimated at: $250,000-350,000). The fine detail and precision of these portraits exemplify Herring’s best work. Henry Bernard Chalon’s impressive large scale work, Portrait of the Bower family with their hunters, is the leading hunting picture in the collection (estimate: $80,000-120,000). A Private English Collection of twenty-three important equine sculptures is highlighted by the monumental Steeplechase by the leading equine sculptor, Isidore Jules Bonheur (estimate: $150,000-250,000).

Sporting-dog paintings - Eighteen paintings by Edmund Henry Osthaus offer something for every sporting-dog enthusiast and collector, representing a breadth of subject matter — portraits, hunting scenes and autumn landscapes — in both watercolors and oils, with price points starting at $10,000. Osthaus’ Hunting in an upland landscape is a large scale oil painting which showcases the artist’s skill as both a portrait painter and landscape artist in this classic Western landscape with a hunter and two pointers (estimate: $80,000-120,000). Another marvelous oil painting from the collection is Waiting for master which depicts four dogs at the kennel (estimate: $50,000-70,000).

The sale also includes works by other leading sporting dog artists including an exceptional painting by Maud Earl, Three dogs standing on a barge ($50,000-70,000), and a large-scale work by James Hardy Junior Loading Up ($100,000-150,000) which illustrates a highland landscape, gun dogs and a game keeper.

Osthaus Biography - Though German by birth, the 25 year-old Edmund Henry Osthaus followed his family to Oshkosh, Wisconsin in the 1880’s after completing a prestigious appointment at the Academy at Düsseldorf. He quickly found success in America and held a position as head instructor at the Toledo Academy of Fine Art, established his own studio, and was a member and president of the Tile Club that founded the Toledo Museum of Art. Osthaus gained national recognition when his portraits commissioned for the National Field Trail Championship winners were used for the DuPont Powder Company’s advertisements for smokeless gunpowder. Osthaus’ paintings were favored by many prominent families including the Vanderbilts, Morgans, and Grover Cleveland.