Mid century American reproduction print titled “Jockey Clothes” by Lee Townsend

This mid century American reproduction print titled “Jockey Clothes” by Lee Townsend is probably the only artist in the US who was also a professional horse trainer. He had worked with horses all his life, which is reasonable enough, considering that he was born right next to a county fairgrounds. The place was Wyoming, Illinois, the date 1895. He bought his first race horse at the age of seventeen, and raced her at near-by fairs. He rode as a jockey for a few years, until he smashed his left foot in a spill. Every summer he raced either his own, or took horses on shares, through the county-fair or half-mile circuit in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York. There he got his material for drawings and paintings. His career as an artist began almost as early as that in the paddock. At first he confined his efforts to decorating horsemen's trunks and water buckets at the Wyoming fairgrounds. After his accident he went to Chicago, and studied at the school of the Art Institute. He later had a year in Paris.
Townsend made the drawing for fockey Clothes during a county fair. The owner of the boots and pants had won two races in the day's card, and the artist made the drawing after the jockey had hung them up in his stall.

Size: 9”W x 12”H

Condition: Vintage / Antique / Print in excellent condition with yellowing around the edges

Country of Origin: USA