Thomas Arrowsmith (circa 1772 - after 1829) PORTRAIT OF THE CELEBRATED JOCKEY FRANK BUCKLE, IN A FRO...
Thomas Arrowsmith (circa 1772 - after 1829) PORTRAIT OF THE CELEBRATED JOCKEY FRANK BUCKLE, IN A FROCK COAT AND TOP HAT signed and dated 1816, oil on canvas, in the original Regency plaster frame with running laurel leaves, ribbons and bands at the corners, and twisted rope design to the outer edge, 74 by 56cm., 29 by 22in. Frank Buckle (1766-1832) is the first example of a jockey who became a popular national hero. The son of a Newmarket saddler, Buckle enjoyed a very long career as a jockey which began with an apprenticeship to Richard Vernon at Newmarket. When he had his first ride in 1783, Buckle weighed out at an incredible 3st. 10lb. He had little problems with weight throughout his career and could comfortably to the scales at 7st. 10lb. without wasting. The outstanding jockey of his generation, Buckle's record of 27 Classic winners stood from 1827 until 1984, when it was finally eclipsed by Lester Piggott's victory on Commanche Run in the St Leger. Even more remarkable about Buckle's achievement is that he had been riding for over 20 years before the 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas were inaugurated. For the record, Buckle won the 1,000 Guineas six times, the 2,000 Guineas five times, the Derby five times, the Oaks nine times (still remains an all time record), and the St Leger twice. His final Classic winners for the Duke of Grafton aboard Arab and Turcoman in the two Guineas of 1827 were at the ripe old age of 61. Away from the Classics, Buckle also famously rode Hambletonian in the Great Match of 1799 against Diamond at Newmarket for stakes of 3,000 Guineas, a race immortalised in a huge painting by Stubbs that now hangs in the Tate Gallery. Because of his diminutive size and renowned strength in a finish, Buckle was known as 'the pocket Hercules'. Roger Mortimer in his History of the Derby Stakes, 1962, p.24, wrote of Buckle ''Unlike most of his fellow riders, he was invariably neat in his dress and always wore beautifully made boots and breeches; unlike many of the too, he was scrupulously honest. For much of his life he lived at Peterborough, where he farmed successfully, being famous for his butter, and he also bred greyhounds, bulldogs and fighting cocks ... He must have been a tough little man ... as he thought nothing of hacking over to Newmarket to ride work and then riding home to Peterborough in time for tea, a distance of some 90 miles. After 48 years in the saddle, Frank Buckle had his last ride in 1831 and died shortly afterwards. This portrait was painted in 1816 when Buckle turned 50 with the sitter looking as dapper as Mortimer was later to describe him in his book. The earliest known image of Buckle is in Robert Dighton's caricature print of 1806 titled 'A HERO of the TURF and his AGENT'. The only other formal portrait of the jockey dates from later in his career and is by Richard Jones (fl. 1767-1840). This work was acquired by the National Horseracing Museum in 1996 having descended through Buckle's family. Thomas Arrowsmith was a portrait and miniature painter who entered the Royal Academy Schools in 1789, and exhibited 26 portraits at the R.A. between 1792 and 1829. He is said to have been deaf and dumb. A pair of portraits of a Liverpool merchant and his wife hanging the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.