A sporting horse portrait of a black Hackney mare in a stable by James Albert Clark. Although the name of the horse has sadly been lost over the years, the portrait was most likely commissioned by the mare’s owner to mark a significant racing achievement.

James Albert Clark was an animal painter born in Shoreditch on 17 February, 1863. He was part of the Clark family of artists and was the son of the artist James Clark and his second wife Frances Mary Ann Parsons. His half-brothers, Samuel James, Albert, Charles Lawrence and Octavius Thomas Clark were also artists.

The family lived at 21 Walbrook Street, St Leonards, Shoreditch where he was first taught art by his father. In 1879, the family moved to 67 Riversdale Road, Islington in 1879 and James and his father started working together as ‘James Clark and Son’ to produce paintings of prize-winning animals and horses. They often signed their collaborative works as James Clark and Son with the address written underneath.

He married Mary Ann Blight in 1889 and they lived with his parents at Riverdale Road. They had two children together and their son Horace Gordon Clark (1891-1959) also became an artist. Whilst living in Islington, Clark used to visit the local agricultural hall to paint the livestock on show. After his father’s death in 1884, he continued to paint animal portraits including racehorses such as this fine example.

His first wife Mary Ann died in 1892 and in 1900 he married Frances Charlotte Parsons, who was a cousin on his mother’s side. In 1908 he moved to Landseer Road, Holloway where two more of his children were born. As well as being a painter he also worked as a picture restorer for James Lawrence Castiglione, a fine art auctioneer and picture dealer. After divorcing in 1918, he married for the third time to Annie Elizabeth Keen and had two further children. It is likely that this coincided with his move to 79 Hanley Road in Islington where he continued working as a picture restore and later an antique dealer. He died on 7 November, 1955 at Whittington Hospital, St Pancras.

Examples of his work, including those he worked on with his father can be found at the Museum of English Rural Life and the Royal Agricultural Collection.