National Society of Colonial Dames of
America in Tennessee
















Belle Meade Plantation
Portrait #1162
Luke Blackburn
Subject/Title:
Luke Blackburn
Artist: Stull, Henry
Date Created: 1880
Owner/Location: Belle Meade Plantation
5025 Harding Road
Nashville, TN 37205
website
Frame Dimensions: 20.5” X 28.5”
Image Dimensions: 16” x 24”
Date Documented: 16 November 2007
Materials/Media: Oil on Canvas
Condition: Fair

Description: Painting depicts the bay stallion Luke Blackburn facing left in a stall.
History of Work: Frame is anthemion-molded giltwood and gesso molding.

The artist Henry Stull was a Canadian artist from Ontario who studied anatomy at a local veterinary clinic, early in his artistry career to aid in painting various animals. Generally, Stull would initially sketch the image and then go back to paint at his New York City apartment.
Notes:Luke Blackburn was foaled in Sumner County, Tennessee in 1877. He was a light bay with a large white start and white hind socks. At maturity, he was a small 15.2 hands. The stallion was bred by Captain James Franklin. He was by Bonnie Scotland out of Nevada, by Leamington.

Out of 24 starts on the track, Luke Blackburn won 22 of them. When the final dispersal sale was held of the Belle Meade stock, Luke Blackburn was practically given away for only twenty dollars. He was sold to William Allison of South Harpeth, Tennessee in 1903. The great stallion died of goiter in 1906, which had caused him to choke to death.

Location: West Side Hall


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