Description:
This hugely atmospheric print is a beautiful example of the work of one of the world’s finest equestrian artists. In one of her most striking paintings, Susan Crawford depicts the only four horses ever to record three consecutive victories in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, Britain’s most prestigious chase.
On the far right of the picture stands Cottage Rake, who sealed his place in racing history with three successive wins between 1948 and 1950. Son of the leading jumper squire Cottage, his outstanding jumping talent made him a force to be reckoned with and, despite the Cheltenham course’s tough half-mile uphill finish, he boasted a dazzling turn of speed from the final fence.
In the foreground, second from the right, stands Best Mate. This celebrated gelding won the Gold Cup in 2002, 2003 and 2004, finishing in the first two places in all 21 races that he completed, and never falling at a single fence or hurdle. His opportunity to record an historic fourth victory at Cheltenham was shattered when he was withdrawn from the 2005 race due to a burst blood vessel. Best Mate collapsed and died while competing at Exeter Racecourse in November 2005. His death drew great mourning and glowing accolades from the racing world, and he was afforded a well-deserved tribute the following month, when his ashes were buried next to the winning post at Cheltenham.
The handsome bay gelding standing third from the right is Arkle, considered by many to have been the greatest racehorse in history. Arkle won three consecutive Gold Cups between 1964 and 1966, as well as the 1965 King George VI Chase and a number of important handicap chases. In all, he recorded 27 wins in his 35 races, on his way to achieving a Timeform score of 212 – the highest score ever awarded to any horse. So popular in Ireland that the slogan “Arkle for President” became well-known, this exceptional racehorse won his third Gold Cup after being widely backed at the unprecedented price of 1/10.
Even Arkle, however, could not match the fearsome Cheltenham record of the mighty Golden Miller. Trained by the eccentric Dorothy Paget, this thoroughbred racehorse won the Gold Cup five times between 1932 and 1936, setting a record that is unlikely ever to be matched. In 1934 he became the only horse ever to win both the Gold Cup and the Grand National, setting a new course record at Aintree in the process. Appropriately, however, the main focus of this remarkable painting falls upon the prize in pursuit of which these fine horses made their names: the Cheltenham Gold Cup itself.
This is a Serigraph
You are viewing a Serigraph print. Fine artists create serigraphs in limited runs by applying layer upon layer of pigment to the print surface by pressing it through a mesh screen containing a stencil. The complex and lengthy process commonly uses inks for pigment and stencils made of a variety of materials. Because of the nature of the process each serigraph is unique.
This is a Giclee
You are viewing a giclee print. Each piece was created by a special process called "Giclee". Giclee is a computer generated print that is produced by the spraying of an image on to fine art paper. The inks used are specially formulated so that the fine print heads can spurt jets of ink in minute droplets. When prints are produced on fine art quality paper, the print should posses archival standards of permanence comparable or better than other collectible work.
This is a Hand Colored Print
You are viewing a hand colored print. The process begins with hand-pulled black & white decorative and antique reproduction prints. Each print is then individually designed and hand colored using the same methods of color application that were used throughout the 19th century, before modern color lithography. Individual artists meticulously paint each piece using the finest European watercolor paints on heavy mat, acid free, archival paper resistant to deterioration and discoloration. By combining old world craftsmanship with fresh design innovations, our artists create works of stunning depth and vibrancy that are absolutely beautiful and unique.
This is a Museum Quality Fine Art Print
You are viewing a museum quality fine-art print. The prints we carry are produced using either the lithographic or serigraphic printing process and are printed on high quality archival acid free paper. Most prints are on a thick (120 pound or higher) stock of paper. Each print is of the highest museum art print reproduction quality and are supplied by the world's leading art publishers. These prints rival any detailed reproduction from their originals and are geared towards the discerning eye of the particular art collector.
This is a Limited Edition
Limited editions are a series of identical prints, which are limited to a one-time printing of a certain number of pieces. The artist determines the size of the edition, and usually signs and numbers each individual piece. Limited edition prints framed by the Fulcrum Gallery are handled separately and given the utmost individual care and attention, using archival framing materials and practices. Because limited editions are in limited supply, and are of exceptionally high quality, the price is generally at a premium to regular open edition prints.
