An important Canadian Folk Art Equine Portrait of Queens Plate Runner "Disturbance"
signed Thomas Seaton Scott (1826 - 1895)
19th century
dated 1885
 
Founded in 1860, The Queen's Plate is Canada's oldest and continuously run thoroughbred horse race. The handsome and fleet footed fellow shown here is the Canadian thoroughbred "Disturbance" who ran in the Queen's Plate in the early 1880's. (His name is on the feed trough in the present work.)
 
Disturbance was sired by Terror, and in 1884 won the Dominion mile record 1,433, which he held until May 1897 when it was beaten at Woodbine, Toronto, by a horse of Mr. Seagram's. Disturbance also made a three-quarter mile American record at Saratoga.
 
The artist who painted this unique work of art was Thomas Seaton Scott (1826 - 1895), Chief Architect for the Dominion of Canada in the late 19th century, and founding member of The Royal Canadian Academy of Arts.  It is signed in the lower right corner along with the date 1885.
 
This is a very important piece of Canadian history done by a respected artist and architect, coming from a prominent Canadian family and depicting a horse that competed in the Queen's plate.
 
A very rare example of 19thc equestrian Canadiana.