Stepping out from Stubbs’s shadow

There has not been a study of the racing and hunting works of James Seymour since his death in 1752, illustrating, it seems to me, that he has been woefully underappreciated as an artist, and consequently overshadowed by John Wootton (1683-1764) and George Stubbs (1724-1806), those better-known giants of 18th-century sporting painting in England. This oversight is set to be rectified by a new book dedicated to bringing his genius to a wider audience.

James Seymour is perhaps one of Britain’s most recognised sporting artists and yet remains the least known. He was born before 1702 to Colonel James and Anne Seamer in London, and his father was at various times a banker, a race organiser, a goldsmith, a penman and a limner, as well as an adventurous businessman. Col Seamer’s relationship with his only son was strong and he brought him up on the turf, where he established a reputation as a groundbreaking artist. Col Seamer was a member of the 25-strong Virtuosi of St Luke, London’s exclusive club