Jean Bowman (American, 1918-1994), Waiting Home

Oil on masonite, 1958, signed and dated at lower right, presented in a giltwood frame with gallery plaque at lower center engraved "Waiting Home / 1947-1971 / Wait A Bit - Marching Home / Champion Conformation Hunter."

Panel 22 x 28 in.; Frame dimensions 26 1/2 x 32 1/2 in.

From the Estate of the late Peggy Augustus, Old Keswick, Virginia

Jean Eleanor Bowman was an American equestrian artist celebrated for her paintings of horses, hounds, and sporting life. Trained at top art schools in New York and Boston, she worked mainly in oils, always preferring to paint from life. Bowman became the first American exhibited at Ackermann’s in London and attracted patrons such as Queen Elizabeth II, Paul Mellon, and John Hay Whitney. Her art appeared extensively in The Chronicle of the Horse and other sporting publications, and her works now reside in major collections including the National Sporting Library & Museum and the National Museum of Racing. A co-founder and first president of the American Academy of Equine Art, her legacy is honored today through the Jean Bowman Award for Excellence in Classical Equine Art.

Waiting Home was the most acclaimed horse Peggy Augustus rode during her competitive years. The chestnut Thoroughbred excelled in hunter shows, where horses are judged on manners, temperament, movement, and the elegance of their jumping style. Over the course of their partnership, the pair dominated the hunter circuit, winning numerous titles, and in one remarkable season, retiring five separate challenge trophies. This portrait was likely commissioned by the Augustus family.

Age cracking to the paint, minor losses and age cracking to the frame.