Leroy Neiman Hand Pulled Serigraph on Paper: "Derby Day Paddock"
Artist: Leroy Neiman
Title: Derby Day Paddock
About the Art: 1997
Serigraph
Image size 38" x 29" (96.52 x 73.66 cm)
A limited edition of 250 numbered impressions; 50AP, 5PP, signed by the artist
Image also published as a poster, poster size 33? x 24? Says Neiman: "As a youngster I looked with awe and admiration at the horse's beauty, grace and strength. I made countless horse drawings, copied from my grandfather's 1911 Live Stock Cyclopedia, which is still in my studio today." The artist eventually adopted his characteristic, more immediate approach to his subject. "Only by working with the actual animal before him can an artist become familiar with its scale, movement, spirit and temperament- even its smell- with the power and energy of the form, none of which can be captured in photographs or reproductions. I began my serious study of horses at the Chicago racetracks, Arlington and Sportsman's, where I spent hours drawing in the paddock and around the back track barns. I expanded my horizons to include horse shows, hunt meets, and other equine sporting events. I have sketched at all the leading racetracks in the United States, France, England, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, and at equestrian events all over the world." Neiman also knows the racetrack milieu. " The paddock is truly democratic. There the under-privileged and over-privileged assemble and rub elbows. The owner could be a millionaire with a famous stable, or a member of a well-heeled syndicate of proprietors; the trainer represents the executive mastermind; the jockey, the hired athlete. The reliable groom, who is never listed in the racing program and whose contribution frequently goes unnoticed, represents the workingman. It is quiet, almost hushed save for the soft pound of the horses' hooves on the walking ring ground. The most discerning bettors and horse fanciers keep their eyes riveted on the horses in the walking ring. Bettors and officials intermingle and talk on the same level in the gathering, one really knowing no more about the subject than the other, hence all opinions are valid." The featured serigraph, portraying the paddock at Churchill Downs on the day of the Kentucky Derby, is a masterpiece displaying all the artist's accumulated experience and skill. Strong, graceful animals are led around the walking ring by anonymous grooms, topped by renowned jockeys in their colorful silks. The spectators include the wealthy, the beautiful, the calculating and the capricious. In the background, towering above the scene, is the famous grandstand with its familiar spires. "Derby Day Paddock" is a stunning work of art for the Kentucky Derby, and for Neiman collectors everywhere.
Title: Derby Day Paddock
About the Art: 1997
Serigraph
Image size 38" x 29" (96.52 x 73.66 cm)
A limited edition of 250 numbered impressions; 50AP, 5PP, signed by the artist
Image also published as a poster, poster size 33? x 24? Says Neiman: "As a youngster I looked with awe and admiration at the horse's beauty, grace and strength. I made countless horse drawings, copied from my grandfather's 1911 Live Stock Cyclopedia, which is still in my studio today." The artist eventually adopted his characteristic, more immediate approach to his subject. "Only by working with the actual animal before him can an artist become familiar with its scale, movement, spirit and temperament- even its smell- with the power and energy of the form, none of which can be captured in photographs or reproductions. I began my serious study of horses at the Chicago racetracks, Arlington and Sportsman's, where I spent hours drawing in the paddock and around the back track barns. I expanded my horizons to include horse shows, hunt meets, and other equine sporting events. I have sketched at all the leading racetracks in the United States, France, England, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, and at equestrian events all over the world." Neiman also knows the racetrack milieu. " The paddock is truly democratic. There the under-privileged and over-privileged assemble and rub elbows. The owner could be a millionaire with a famous stable, or a member of a well-heeled syndicate of proprietors; the trainer represents the executive mastermind; the jockey, the hired athlete. The reliable groom, who is never listed in the racing program and whose contribution frequently goes unnoticed, represents the workingman. It is quiet, almost hushed save for the soft pound of the horses' hooves on the walking ring ground. The most discerning bettors and horse fanciers keep their eyes riveted on the horses in the walking ring. Bettors and officials intermingle and talk on the same level in the gathering, one really knowing no more about the subject than the other, hence all opinions are valid." The featured serigraph, portraying the paddock at Churchill Downs on the day of the Kentucky Derby, is a masterpiece displaying all the artist's accumulated experience and skill. Strong, graceful animals are led around the walking ring by anonymous grooms, topped by renowned jockeys in their colorful silks. The spectators include the wealthy, the beautiful, the calculating and the capricious. In the background, towering above the scene, is the famous grandstand with its familiar spires. "Derby Day Paddock" is a stunning work of art for the Kentucky Derby, and for Neiman collectors everywhere.
