A fine sporting painting horse portrait of a bay pony called Mike and a terrier named Champ by William Eddowes Turner. The prize winning horse can be seen standing in a stable next to a Jack Russell terrier dog. Other horses can be seen further along through the stable door. Although the name of Mike’s owner is not known, his initials (HBL) can be seen on the blanket on the stable floor. The owner most likely commissioned Turner to paint this portrait to celebrate horse’s career. Another portrait was also commissioned by the owner around the same period of a white hunter called ‘The Peeler’ with another terrier.

William Eddowes Turner was born in Sneinton, Nottinghamshire in 1836 to George Johnson Turner, a lacemaker and Betsy Turner (nee Clark). His father died when he was very young and his mother got married for a second time to William Richards. He lived with his mother and step father and sister Sarah at 15 West Street, Nottingham. Turner was largely self-taught and by the age of 23 had begun earning a living as a landscape and cattle artist.

He spent some time in Newmarket and gained commissions from wealthy patrons to paint their prize winning horses and favourite dogs. He also painted landscape scenes featuring cattle and sheep. He began exhibiting at the Royal Society of British Artists and the British Institution in 1858. He also exhibited in Nottingham.

He married Jane Mary Robinson on 20 March 1864 at St Stephen’s Church in Sneinton. The couple lived at Upper Eldon Street, Sneinton with their three children. After his first wife died, he remarried and moved to 15 Turner Street with his second wife Adela. By 1885, he was living at 89 Blue Bell Hill, Nottingham, later moving to number 117 Blue Bell Hill. Turner died on 1 December 1904, in Radford, Nottinghamshire, aged 65.

© Benton Fine Art