PREVIEW - currently undergoing light restoration

This painting,  from the prestigious collection of the late Charlie Watts (drummer of the Rolling Stones), is a classic example of Henry Bernard Chalon’s mastery in sporting and animal portraiture.

The panting depicts a grey Arabian stallion, captured with the anatomical precision and noble character that defined Henry Bernard Chalon’s career as one of England’s premier animal painters. The stallion is shown in a spirited, elevated trot against a sweeping, romanticized landscape. To the left, exotic palm trees hint at the horse's Eastern lineage, while a distant castle and a soft, clouded sky provide a quintessentially English backdrop.

Chalon’s hallmark attention to detail is evident in the stallion’s fine muscular definition, the translucent quality of its coat, and the alert, intelligent expression in its eye. The composition balances the raw power of the animal with the refined elegance expected by Chalon’s royal patrons.

Henry Bernard Chalon was the quintessential "Animal Painter to the Crown." Appointed as the official artist to the Duchess of York, the Prince Regent (later King George IV), and King William IV, he was the preferred portraitist for the British aristocracy’s most prized livestock. His work is often compared to George Stubbs for its scientific accuracy, yet it retains a unique, atmospheric charm characteristic of the late Georgian era.

This work comes with a remarkable modern history, having been part of the private collection of Charlie Watts. While known globally as the drummer for The Rolling Stones, Watts was a dedicated connoisseur of the arts and, along with his wife Shirley, operated the world-renowned Halsdon Arabians stud farm. This painting was a natural centerpiece for a collector who famously remarked that he "enjoyed the company of horses more than some humans."