GOSHEN, N.Y. – The works of George Ford Morris are featured in a new exhibition that was unveiled in the Currier and Ives Gallery of the Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame June 1, 2002 and will run through May of 2003.
For 70 years, between his first published works in 1890 and his death in 1960, George Ford Morris was a major figure in the world of equine art. Morris’ paintings are particularly esteemed by horse lovers because of his perception of type and the fidelity of his portraiture.
Having ridden, driven, bred and shown horses from boyhood, Morris had an intimate knowledge of his field, he was so highly regarded that in 1951, he was elected a fellow of the Royal Academy of Arts of Great Britain, the only American equine artist to receive such an honor.
Many of the portraits in this exhibition were used to illustrate a leather-bound book titled The Horse Review, printed in 1896. This publication and Portraiture of Horses, published by Morris when he was 78, will be included in the exhibit.
Graphic and informally historic, Portraiture of Horses is a rich anthology of the horse as developed in America. Originally sold for $35, the book now commands a price of $600 or higher, when it can be found. Cover drawings and designs created by Morris for horse publications of the early twentieth century will also be displayed.
Five newly acquired original drawings and paintings by Morris are also included in the exhibit. Exhibit hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m., daily. The Harness Racing Museum and Hall of Fame is located at 240 Main Street in Goshen, N.Y. For more information call 845-294-6330.
