A very striking image with the exotic colours of the pheasants contrasted against the crisp, snowy background. 

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Peter Biegel was, during his lifetime, regularly called 'the best painter of the horse today'. He was a fine artist trained by the best, and he focused his activity on the greatest race horses of his time.

 

Peter Biegel was born in Hertfordshire to an Irish mother and Dutch father who had a love of horses and hunting. His great-grandfather was an Irish steeplechaser who was killed in a fall when he was 21 and his father was nick-named the ‘Flying Dutchman’ for his exploits in the hunting fields.

 

Upon leaving school he initially went into his father's family business as a steel broker in London. However, in 1938 the business collapsed and with his small savings Peter Biegel became a student of the great equine artist Lucy Kemp-Welch. With the onset of war his art studies once again took a back seat when he was wounded in the leg and returned home. It was as a result of a chance meeting with another great horse painter, Lionel Edwards , on a train to a medical examination that had the greatest impact upon his life. He struck up a conversation and showed him some of his paintings to which Edwards advised that he take additional lessons which he did at Bournemouth School of Art and then with Edwards himself. 

 

In 1950 Peter Biegel had his first exhibition with the Rowland Ward Gallery and one painting 'The Winter Game' was accepted by the Royal Academy. The following year he had twenty of his paintings shown at the Festival of Britain Exhibition.

 

By the mid 1960's Peter had become the favourite of many trainers and owners,  particularly the Royal Family. 

His work is represented in many important private and public collections including that of Her Majesty The Queen.