Race horses were his passion and his profession. The Munich artist Emil Adam is even considered the first horse painter who loved to paint these noble four-legged friends. He achieved such great artistry that his works adorned the walls of the highest and noblest houses and palaces in Europe. They hung, among others, at the Count Tassilo of Festetics, in the prestigious Jockey Club of Newmarket or in the castle of the Duke of Westminster. The Duke is even said to have considered Adam the "only artist" who, in his opinion, could paint thoroughbred horses.
Of course, word of this spread quickly in aristocratic circles. And so Emil Adam was soon commissioned to paint the Prince of Wales and later King Edward VII during a hunt in Hungary. Emil Adam was also a welcome and frequently seen guest of Queen Victoria at the famous horse races in Ascot or at the Derby in Epsom. The artist portrayed quite a few of the horses that won there, both with and without their riders. A few years later he was invited to Paris. There Adam was allowed to study and paint the most famous horses of his time, including those of William Kissam Vanderbilt, one of the most famous businessmen, philanthropists and horse breeders of his time.
With all his traveling, the artist still found time for his family life. In 1872 he married his cousin Josephine Marie Wurmb. Together with her he had no less than twelve children, ten of whom reached adulthood. One of his sons, Richard Benno Adam, later became a recognized artist in his own right, following in his footsteps and also working as a portrait and horse painter. As such, he was allowed to visit the Bavarian castle of Possenhofen in the summer. On this occasion he created a group portrait with Empress Elisabeth, better known as Sisi.
Where did Emil Adam's love for the beautiful steeds come from? Today we can only make assumptions about this, but it probably simply ran in the family. After his grandfather Albrecht Adam and his father, the animal painter Benno Adam, had taught him, Emil became a student of his uncle, the battle painter Franz Adam. In his paintings, horses played a leading role in the literal sense of the word, but were still usually only extras. Emil, on the other hand, placed them at the center of his work early on - and did so successfully. At the age of 17, he was commissioned by Archduke Karl Ludwig to produce several paintings of horses. Over time, the artist continued to develop visibly: he expanded his repertoire to include equestrian portraits and hunting scenes. Particularly noteworthy is the excellent lighting.
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-576190).jpg "Flying Fox, Winner of the 1899 Derby by Emil Adam")
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.jpg "Diamond Jubilee, Winner of the 1900 Derby (detail) by Emil Adam")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-576189).jpg "Ladas, Winner of the 1894 Derby by Emil Adam")
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.jpg "Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria Hunting to Hounds with the Countess Larisch in Silesia by Emil Adam")
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.jpg "Arulo and Komamasszony, two victorious race horses from the estate of Baron Hermann von Konigswarter with jockey Robert Adams by Emil Adam")
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.jpg "Persimmon, Winner of the 1896 Derby (detail) by Emil Adam")
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_-_(MeisterDrucke-576191).jpg "Diamond Jubilee, Winner of the 1900 Derby by Emil Adam")
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.jpg "Ormonde, Winner of the 1886 Derby (detail) by Emil Adam")
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 - (MeisterDrucke-632213).jpg "Ladas, Winner of the 1894 Derby (detail) by Emil Adam")
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.jpg "Spearmint, Winner of the 1906 Derby, 1906 by Emil Adam")
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.jpg "Isinglass, Winner of the 1893 Derby (detail) by Emil Adam")
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.jpg "Flying Fox, Winner of the 1899 Derby by Emil Adam")
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