(Brussels 1664–1750 Vienna)
A dapple grey from the Imperial stud at Lipizza doing the levade in a vast park landscape, with the Emperor’s personal Moor and boxer in the foreground (the dog’s collar bears the monogram of Charles VI), signed and dated at lower left P de Hamilton 1739, oil on canvas, 54 x 34 cm, framed

Provenance: Probably from the Imperial collection in Vienna.

This painting is one of the rare depictions of a stallion of the Lipizzan pedigree depicted by Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton. Although he enjoyed great popularity at the court and was appointed ‘Imperial chamber painter’ as early as 1708, horse paintings by his hand are extremely rare. After the death of Johann Georg, his younger brother, Hamilton advanced to become ‘Imperial horse painter’. His family was of Scottish origins, though the artist came from the family’s branch that had been naturalized in the Habsburg Netherlands. The painter’s great virtuosity raises the present work above those by his younger brother. The exotic addition of the coloured page identifies this painting as most probably an Imperial commission. Since the stallion does not bear any of the known brands, it was probably one of the stud horses purchased by the Emperor in Spain. Thus Hamilton must have executed this painting on the occasion of the precious animal’s arrival in Vienna.

Provenance: Probably from the Imperial collection in Vienna. This painting is one of the rare depictions of a stallion of the Lipizzan pedigree depicted by Philipp Ferdinand de Hamilton. Although he enjoyed great popularity at the court and was appointed