National Sporting Library & Museum Date: 6/23/2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Susan Brewster Tel: 540-687-6542 x13 Email: SBrewster@NationalSporting.org Web: NationalSporting.org Mail: P.O. Box 1335 Middleburg, VA 20118 EXHIBITION OPENS AT THE NATIONAL SPORTING LIBRARY & MUSEUM Picturing English Pastimes: British Sporting Prints at the NSLM July 29, 2016 – January 15, 2017 MIDDLEBURG, Virginia – A new exhibition of works on paper, Picturing English Pastimes: British Sporting Prints at the NSLM opens July 29, 2016. The exhibition focuses on the early 19th century British print market and includes examples by some of the most popular publishers and well-known sporting artists of the era. The installation will feature approximately 25 works of equestrian subjects, such as horse racing, hunting, and coaching, and highlight different types of printmaking techniques. Curated by John H. Daniels Fellow Jennifer Strotz, the selection of prints includes hand-colored etchings, engravings, and aquatints, which capture the vibrancy of sporting life with rich hues and fine lines. The works are part of a collection donated to the NSLM in 2012 by Mr. and Mrs. Norman R. Bobins. The Bobins collection is made up of over 120 prints from the late-18 th through 19th century and includes a variety of sporting subjects. Strotz’s research examines the relationships between artists, engravers, and publishers, and their popular equestrian subjects. Strotz, who is currently part of the curatorial staff at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, is interested in British sporting art, and printmaking in particular. She says, “My interest in British sporting prints first brought me to the NSLM while I studied art history at James Madison University - in between my own trail rides and fox hunting escapades.” She continued, “I am thrilled to have returned as a Fellow to collaborate with the Museum’s curators and further explore the rare book collection. The exhibition is the result of combining the Fellowship program with the extensive art collections and Library resources at the NSLM. Since 2007, the NSLM has hosted the John H. Daniels Fellowship program, which supports research and scholarship in the areas of history, art, and literature related to equestrian and field sports. For more information on the Fellowship program, visit: http://www.nationalsporting.org/nslm/fellowship. – MORE –