My Kingdom for a Horse / PRESS

16TH NOVEMBER 2014 / BY NINA HOOFT GRAAFLAND FOR THE GENTLEMEN’S JOURNAL

The current golden boy of equine art, Charlie Langton is making his mark on the contemporary art world. His unique and individual style has distinguished him as one of the most exciting and inspiring sculptors of our time. In recent years, since the YBAs, there has arguably been a trend among contemporary artists to create shocking, innovative and controversial work. Charlie Langton’s work – that’s within the tradition of realism – therefore comes as a refreshing change.

Langton is best known for his work on a number of high-profile horse sculptures, in the last few years including Yeats, Goldikova, Pegasus, Galileo, Sadler’s Wells, Montjeu and most recently Kauto Star, which will be unveiled at Kempton Racecourse on Boxing Day this year.

Having spent his childhood surrounded by horses it’s no wonder they are his inspiration. Both his great uncle and mother bred racehorses and by the age of six, Charlie was fortunate enough to have a small Welsh Mountain pony of his own. Horses have always been an integral part of his life, and are a natural subject to him.

After studying fine art at Edinburgh College of Art, Charlie proceeded to spend one and a half years training at the prestigious Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence. It was there that he gained a deep appreciation for the works of the Old Masters and refined his academic and technical skills. Charles Cecil teaches the importance of observing from life and understanding the form through light and shade by way of the sight-size technique. “Being surrounded by works from the Renaissance,” explained Charlie, “By the master sculptors such as Donatello, Michelangelo and works by the ultimate universal man, Leonardo da Vinci, highlighted the importance of knowing your subject to a level that is rarely, if at all, accomplished in art today.” When asked what advice Charlie would offer to a young artist, his response was rather appropriately “study Leonardo da Vinci.”

So what is it that makes him so successful as a sculptor? The real art of sculpting, Charlie believes, is to truly know your subject. For him, observing their character and understanding the nature of a particular horse is paramount to achieving its final likeness. The initial stage of the artistic process is spent observing the horse, and chatting to those who know it best – its trainers, riders and owners. This research allows him to create works that so accurately capture the spirit and character of the subject.

Thoroughbreds in particular inspire him. The attitude, character and physicality of the champion racehorses puts them in a league of their own, and it is their unique combination of power speed, elegance and grace that Charlie finds so compelling.

Charlie’s first life-size public commission was a hugely high profile one. Selected by Ascot to
create a bronze statue depicting the four-time Gold Cup winner Yeats, his work had to meet high expectations. The sculpture was unveiled by Her Majesty the Queen on the first day of Royal Ascot in 2011 to a warm reception, and it still takes pride of place at the parade ring today.

The work took 800 hours to complete and the final result is magical. Sinuous, yet powerful in build, every line of the horse flows with grace and elegance. Recalling seeing Yeats race at Ascot a few years ago, Charlie mused: “He is one of the most beautiful horses you will ever see and instantly recognisable in the way that he walks and carries his head, I could not have asked
for a better subject”. He speaks fondly and passionately of Coolmore Stud, the breeding organisation that looks after Yeats in Ireland. On a number of occasions Harry King, the manager at Coolmore Stud, would fly over from Ireland to Charlie’s studio in Wiltshire to watch the sculpture progress, and stay for about 30 minutes before flying back to Ireland.

It was through this that Charlie’s other pubic projects came about. His most recent work, Kauto Star was
commissioned by the horse’s owner by Clive Smith. Charlie was asked to create a 5 per cent over life-size bronze of the great steeplechaser for Kempton Park Racecourse, to be unveiled there on Boxing Day this year. The sculpture was generously donated to the racecourse by Clive Smith and will undoubtedly be admired and coveted for generations to come.

It is evident that Charlie Langton has a promising career ahead of him. You could be forgiven for thinking he may become restless within the arguably limited confines of his subject; however, he insists it’s easy to keep fresh enthusiasm an excitement for the project. “Every champion horse has a unique combination of attributes that sets him apart from the herd, it is the process of trying to establish what these are, and attempting to capture them, that I find so alluring. The thoroughbred could maintain my interest in the horse as a subject for a lifetime.” I for one am excited to see where his unique and extraordinary talent takes him next.