Rysdyk's Hambletonian

Although the artist who created this work is not known, the story it depicts was widely popular in the mid-19th century. The painting portrays William Rysdyk, a farm laborer in Chester, New York, standing next to his prized horse. Named Hambletonian, the colt became a celebrated racer and produced generations of winning horses, bringing wealth and fame to its owner. Portraits of Rysdyk and Hambletonian proliferated, some in oil and others as print reproductions. This composition is similar to several lithographs published in the 1860s and broadly circulated in 1876, the year of Hambletonian’s death. The artist may have seen one of these prints and followed it closely to create this painting.