Francis Calcraft Turner 1782-1846 Ascot Heath Races
Little seems to be known about this prolific artist; he died in Cranmer Place, London, June 12th 1846.
He is thought to be the father of G.A. Turner. He is recorded as having asserted that he was the most knowledgeable sportsman of his time. Which is saying a lot when you think of the period that produced some of the best and most famous of our sporting artists. Modesty clearly was not one of his attributes. He is said to have had a wooden leg. Did he ride I wonder? Or was his knowledge of sports more from the ground? His work is superb and beautifully seen and his sense of picture balance is completely perfect. According to the Sporting Magazine he completed 87 works of art. It would seem that most of his subjects was drawn from the southern part of England.
He adopted the dramatic form of the gallop as was fashionable. He also loved to record dramatic incidents. Odd that someone so prolific leaves very little information about his private life.
Ascot Heath Races, 1837, is a superb print, and records that this was one of the last events attended by William lV. Which race it is I cannot tell but the trophy is in the Stewards Box and is clearly gold probably silver gilt. The King sits in his box higher up than the rest of the followers. He looks out with the Queen sits next to him. He loved his racing, sport meant a lot to him and he was not keen on public duty and protocol.
This is a fine piece of work, every detail including the type of people who would have attended shown to be of the upper middle classes. The grey ridden by the Steward is quite stunning, and the finish of the race obviously very exciting.
So this print is clearly very important, as was the moment. Interesting then that F.C. Turner was asked to record it.
References, British Sporting Art, Walter Sparrow
The Dictionary of British Equestrian Artists, Sally Mitchell
The Four Seasons of Sport, John Cadfryn-Roberts, Ariel Press