John Frederick Herring Sr.

Miss Nickolls (and sold, Christie's, London, January 23, 1904, lot 84, as Horses, Cattle and Sheep, in a pasture)
Gribble (acquired at the above sale)
Richard Green, London
Private Collection (and sold, Sotheby's, London, July 10, 1996, lot 126, illustrated)
Sam Wyly, Dallas, Texas

Lined. The surface presents well and appears bright and fresh, aside from minor surface dirt. There is barely perceptible, finely patterned craquelure across the picture surface that is most visible in the lightest pigments and on the black horse. Minor abrasions are visible in an area underneath the horse's legs and in two small areas at lower right. Under UV: varnish fluoresces green unevenly. There are finely applied dashes of retouching and inpainting to address prior craquelure scattered in the sky and also visible in a few of the leaves, around the horizon line at far right, and in the pond at lower left. There is a 1 1/4 inch diagonal line of inpainting in the lower right corner. Brushy areas and dashes of retouching are scattered at the edges.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

In 1853, after twenty years in London, John Frederick Herring, Sr. purchased Meopham Park, a Georgian mansion on thirty acres near Tonbridge, Kent. Herring found inspiration in his surroundings, which he described to a friend in 1855 as including "Piggerys, Cow House, Farm Yard and Cow Shed, a very pretty Saddle Room, and a room to paint in 21 feet square. We also have afield about 4 acres. We have 5 horses. An open and a close Carriage, 10 cows, pigs, 2 Donkeys, Geese, Peacock and hen, lots of Fowl & Ducks and 2 Dogs.” (letter to ‘Rosalie’, dated November 11, 1855; see Oliver Beckett, J.F. Herring & Sons, London, 1981, p. 82). Herring expanded his canon in the 1850s from racing subjects to the farm animals and idyllic surroundings of his new home in the Weald of Kent. The impressive scale of The Noonday Rest encompasses a diversity of animals, portrayed from multiple angles to highlight Herring’s mastery of anatomy that had secured him the role of Queen Victoria’s official animal painter. As his own Peaceable Kingdom, The Noonday Rest celebrates Herring’s new life of rural domesticity, appealing to an increasingly urban buying public who appreciated these farm scenes, which continued to sell as quickly as they were painted.