By Colleen Yarger, George L. Ohrstrom, Jr. Curator of Library Collections
Do you see it and recognize it for what it’s worth? Because I didn’t the first time I saw it…
Beginning July 2022, with my tenure at National Sporting Library & Museum (hereafter NSLM), I have been researching and working towards a Forrest E. Mars, Sr. Exhibit Hall show, Endurance: Secretariat’s Triple Crown at 50.
It seemed a natural topic to highlight. 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Virginia’s most famous racehorse, Secretariat, winning 1973’s Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and Belmont Stakes, collectively known as the “Triple Crown” of horseracing in America. I am pleased to say that the NSLM possesses significant holdings around which to base an exhibition.
Today, I would like to focus on one gem of the exhibition. Something I was not expecting, but found, and was affected by, in our Richard Stone Reeves Archive. Please allow me a brief digression here for anyone unfamiliar with the NSLM’s Richard Stone Reeves Archive.
Richard Stone Reeves (American, 1919 – 2005) was one of the foremost equine portraitists, assuming the majority of the gargantuan mantel, and clientele, of Sir Alfred J. Munnings (British, 1878 – 1959), in the second half of the 20th century.
His archive, which was donated to the NSLM by his children Nina and Tony Reeves, is prolific—reflective of his life’s work. Across these boxes and folders are an incalculable number of papers and artifacts, a portion of which pertain to Secretariat.
Organized alphabetically, Box J39, Folders 03 and 04, prove the most important for anyone interested in Reeves’ association with the Thoroughbred. Folder 03 is titled to “Clippings – Secretariat,” and Folder 04 bears the inscription “Photos – Secretariat.”
The bulk of imagery within these files must have been amassed during and around the time of the commission of Secretariat’s portrait by the Chenery family (Secretariat’s owners), after the large chestnut stallion became Triple Crown champion.
Reeves strove to bring nuance to the formulaic nature of the equine conformation portrait. He would visit his subjects, and try to learn their idiosyncrasies to incorporate, thereby adding a level of nuance to each work.
Confronted with his subject, in this case the big chestnut horse from Meadow Stable, Reeves would make extensive notes, create sketches (written and in color), and take photographs to use later as an aid or reference. Reeves may be quoted in his book Thoroughbreds I Have Known (1973) that one should never use photographs, “indiscriminately.”
When it came to photography, Reeves preferred black and white stills over color. The reason why? Reeves reveals, “I stay away from color stills because if the exposure is a fraction off, the color won’t be true.” Valid point.
Folder 04 contains about a dozen black and white prints of renowned groom Eddie Sweat, holding Secretariat’s lead shank and moving the large horse around this way and that. The photos are stunning to look at. The light shatters across the surfaces of Secretariat’s body at the peak of athleticism. Every muscle defined.
Looking again at the photos, it becomes clear that these photos taken did serve their intended purpose as a reference aid back in Reeves’ studio. Along the edges of the photos (usually the left-hand side) are chestnut-colored fingerprints. Seeing actual fingerprints on the photos makes it easy to conjure to mind the artist, in his studio, working on the painting and selecting a photo to reference and holding it up. It’s a very human thing to do. I am so grateful that Reeves saved them.
Now, every time I find a chestnut-colored fingerprint in the Reeves archive, it brings a smile to my face.
Drawing Covert 
Ms. Yarger :
I very much enjoyed this blog post. Your insights very much helped me in understanding the techniques employed by Reeves in his rendering of exciting and memorable horses. Secretariat was an incredible horse and your notes were quit helpful. Bravo and thanks.
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