Figure 1.--Here we see the Russel brother's race that Landseer depicted. We think modern mothers who insist that boys wear helmets if they get near a trike would be horrified. Notice how the dog has one boy's hat that flew off. We suspect that this is not what Landseer and the boys' parents saw outside the window and that the artist souped it up to add a little drama to the portrait. Brothrs can be competitive, but it seems to us that the equestrian skills involved with powerful steeds at full gallop while fighting with riding crops was beyond that of the age of the boys. They seem more appropriate for the Comanche warriors who in the 1830s still dominated the Southern Plains of North America. Notice how Landseer brings the personality of the horses into the race--you can see it in their eyes.

Edwin Landseer did a particularly notable portrait of two brothers, Edward and Sydney Russel (1834). He was discussing with their parents how he should paint the boys when they rode past the window. This inspired Landsdeer who was known for his treatment of animals to suggest painting them on horseback. The result was a very different work than the normally sedate way the children of wealthy families were normally painted at time. The portrait is domninated by the two manificent horses rather than the boys. We don't see a detailed painting of the boys, but we get a very exciting scene--albeit it looks very dangerous for boys of that age. Landseer had a problem. It was not really known at the time, bu much debated, if horses' hoofs ever actually at some point all actully left the ground at the same time. (This was an issnue not resolved until the advent of high speed photography.) Thus creating a complication for the artist. Note the Russel boys are not only racing, but fighting with their riding crops. The boys are dressed alike wearing green or blue jackets, white collars, and long pants. Also notice the fashionable semi-conical probably straw hats. Here we are not so sure and are going mostly on the color of the hats.

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Created: 8:45 AM 11/28/2025
Last updated: 8:45 AM 11/28/2025