Destination: Middleburg,Virginia
The topic of equestrian and field art conjures up jaunty images of steeplechase races and pedigreed pets. But the new National Sporting Art Museum in Middleburg goes well beyond the expected by illustrating how our country’s contributions to the genre have evolved, developing a distinct style that’s rooted in the wild place America once was.
Vine Hill, an 1804 Federal manor house, has been renovated and enlarged to house a permanent collection and host special exhibitions. Photo by Paul Jean.
Here we become witness to the visceral dance of predator versus prey, whether viewing a painting of a man and his son bonding while bagging dinner or of a fox pursuing his solitary meal in the freshly fallen snow. The new museum, opened on October 7, deftly reveals that the essence of sporting art is anything but genteel and aristocratic.
“On the Wing,” 1850, William Tylee Ranney (1813 - 1857). Courtesy private collection, Pennsylvania.
The inaugural exhibit is a collection for everyone to enjoy. Afield in America: 400 Years of Animal and Sporting Art reaches back to the exploration and colonization of America and follows the young country through times when hunting was not just a pastime, but a means for survival.
Nearly 150 works are artfully arranged in themed rooms, beginning with Artists, Naturalists and Explorers. This gallery pays homage to the keen observers who chronicled the exotic flora and fauna they encountered in theNew World. Their art is engraved, etched and colored by hand in remarkably well-kept, over-sized volumes.
In Budding National Style, we see works that becomes increasingly less European in flavor, forming the foundation of American sporting art. The rooms that follow highlight specialized fields: Equine introduces the sport of kings, Angling features a small collection of relatively rare fishing art and Wildlife and Livestock explore a variety of themes.
“Thanksgiving Day Meet, the Meadow Brook Hounds, Long Island,” 1923, Franklin Brooke Voss (1880 – 1953). Courtesy private collection, Virginia.
Hunting with Hounds captures that quintessential Middleburg feeling, along with a Portraits room that features the Hunt and its colorful characters. These galleries sweep the viewer up into the moment and, whether a lover of equestrian sports or not, it’s “Tally-ho” for a time.
The endearing Pet gallery features two of the Dogs Playing Poker series commissioned in 1903 by Brown and Bigelow and painted by C. M. Coolidge to advertise cigars. While still considered low-brow art in some circles, they’ve been given prominent display for their significant place in American art history.
“A Bold Bluff (Judge St. Bernard Stands Pat on Nothing),” c. 1903 – 04, Cassius Marcellus Coolidge (1844 – 1934). Courtesy private collection, New York.
Trompe L’Oeil and Still Life exhibit traditionally European techniques that have been adapted to depict the American experience with numerous catches of the day strung on cabin doors – some rustic and others famous.
In Shooting, art turns decidedly to the new frontier and leads directly to The West, which celebrates works featuring cowboys, Indians, rugged terrain and the individualistic spirit. This is the last pristine land – wild and untamed, to be protected.
“The Outlaw,” 1906, Frederic Sackrider Remington (1861 – 1909). Courtesy Genesee Country Village & Museum, Mumford, New York.
The bronze Outlaw by Frederick Remington, Buckaroo by Alexander Proctor and Rough Rider by Solon Borglum convey the strength and courage of the West, along with the spirit of freedom and an element of danger. These are high – and very American – notes to end on.
Afield in America: 400 Years of Animal and Sporting Art is a dramatic and enlightening first exhibit for the new museum. The stylish setting, in a renovated and expanded 1804 manor house in the middle of Hunt Country, further enhances its presentation.
Next door is the National Sporting Library, founded in 1954 and housing over 13,000 books, periodicals, photos, films and manuscripts in a facility that’s open to researchers and the general public. Perched on a hill in historic and horsey Middleburg, the campus is an architectural statement that the equestrian and field sports are alive and well and living in Loudoun County.
Curator Turner Reuter has given his inaugural exhibit broad appeal by taking an evolutionary approach that reflects the diversity ofAmerica’s lifestyles, wildlife and landscapes. It’s as much a lively study of our history as it is a study of art.
The French Hound
Middleburg is Loudoun County’s alternative to the shopping mall. With upscale shops, fine restaurants, fun bakeries and over a dozen antique stores, you can easily spend a few hours soaking in the unique flavor of the town.
The town of Middleburg, the nation’s horse and hunt capital, is home to the National Sporting Library and Museum. Photo by Paul Jean.
One standout for a relaxing lunch is found at 101 S. Madison Street. Tucked away on a back road in an inviting Federal-style house with sunny Provencal décor, the French Hound is like a quick romp to France — only everyone speaks English and the food is not the least bit off-putting.
Meals are creatively and authentically updated, with lunch offerings that include French-inspired pizzas (the ratatouille, roasted garlic and goat cheese pie is a favorite), as well as soups, salads, sandwiches and desserts. Saucissons et cornichons and les escargot are nods to the traditional, and pumpkin profiteroles bring a bit of Virginia’s harvest to the table.
The French Hound brings French food to hunt country in a casual, upscale setting. Photo by Paul Jean.
Lunch is offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., with an additional brunch menu on Sunday. Limited fare is available from 2:30 – 5:30 p.m., dinner from 5:30 – 10 p.m., and more limited fare from 10 – 11 p.m. The restaurant closes at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday. For weekday hours, visit www.thefrenchhound.com.
National Sporting Library and Museum
Museum hours: Wednesday – Saturday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sunday, noon – 4 p.m.
Library hours: Tuesday – Friday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, 1 – 4 p.m.
Admission: Free
Current exhibit: “Afield in America” closes January 14, 2012
Upcoming exhibit: “The Wildlife Paintings of Bruno Liljefors” opens February, 2012.
Autumn is the perfect time to visit Middleburg’s newest museum and stroll the town’s streets. Photo by Paul Jean.
Story copyright 2011, Elaine C. Jean. All rights reserved.
Photos, except as noted, copyright 2011, Paul N. Jean. All rights reserved.
