Name/Title
Polo PlayersEntry/Object ID
2016.01.02Description
Painting
This image depicts two mounted polo players in the midst of a game, both on chestnut horses, one wearing a green shirt and the other, blue. The two men with their swinging mallets galloping to the right provide the focus of the scene with a sketchy green landscape providing a backdrop to the action. It is a Modernist painting with the use of planes of colour, as well as suggestions of, rather than depiction of, detail and a feeling of energy. The location is unknown.Artwork Details
Medium
Watercolour on paperContext
While many people associate polo with the British Empire, the game's origins are, in fact, far older. Polo is arguably the oldest recorded team sport in known history, with the first matches being played in Persia over 2500 years ago. Initially thought to have been created by tribes of Central Asia, it was later used as a training method for various elite cavalries of kings, sultans and shahs of various kingdoms and empires over the centuries. For this reason it became known as "the game of kings".
After seeing a horsemanship exhibition in Manipur, India, British officers re-invented the game in 1862. And, similar to earlier times, it proved a successful way to train military horses and the sport was later adopted by the Army. The Hurlingham Polo Club in London took a lead role in the sport's development, where in 1875 the first official rules were drafted. Important was the introduction of a handicap system that enabled player participation and the spread of polo worldwide. Today, Argentina is considered to have the best horses and players, and it hosts the world's most prestigious polo tournament.Made/Created
Artist Information
Artist
Ronald S?Role
PainterDate made
n.d.Time Period
20th CenturyInscription/Signature/Marks
Type
SignatureLocation
Signed Lower right: Ronald S...?Dimensions
Dimension Description
SupportHeight
49.5 cmWidth
71.1 cm
