ELIE LAMBERT 2-26TH APRIL 2025
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I first met Elie in 2004 whilst working as Head of the Sporting Art Department at Christie’s. After a few days away from the office, I had returned to find two large, vibrant, and highly distinctive paintings awaiting examination, left by a ‘Monsieur Lambert.’ Everyone was immediately captivated by them, and I chose to feature one on the back cover of the sale catalogue.
The market recognises quality, and it was no surprise that the oils significantly exceeded their estimates. So began Elie’s relationship with Christie’s - and with it a friendship between us that deepened over the years and spanned across two decades. Elie’s paintings blend a profound knowledge of horses and racing with striking colour and energy, anchored by a mastery of composition, form and balance.
Indeed, his canvases are much like man I knew: vibrant, engaging and capable of commanding a room's attention with ease, yet also with depth, subtlety, a profound sensitivity, and a delicate scattering of thought and reflection.
News of his death was deeply saddening, but I take great comfort in knowing that he will live on through his paintings, and his name will be spoken for centuries—perhaps even millennia—as his canvases continue to bring colour and joy to collectors, galleries and museums around the world. I have every confidence that the history of art will be kind to my dear friend, Monsieur Elie.
Tom Rooth
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Elie Lambert was a maverick. An extraordinary man of many parts, a gentleman Jockey, bloodstock agent, journalist, antique dealer, but above all of these roles, his passion was that of an artist. Art was utterly embedded in his heart and soul, if he had the opportunity he would paint day and night
Elie’s deep knowledge of horses was obtained from a lifelong passion, and working with them in many different areas of his life. He wanted to paint them and particularly, racehorses which inspired him so much, through this he developed a wholly individualistic painting style. Elie’s distinctive interpretation of colour and form allowed him to go entirely off piste.
His painting style was impacted by a reaction against the rather dour Flemish School with which he was brought up. Picasso and Lowry were his influences, he wanted his paintings to make the viewer smile and feel happy, a sense of joie de Vie. I have witnessed this many a time, seeing spectators look at Elie’s paintings and smile; an impressive and rare artistic feat. His horses invariable have no saddles or bridles, it is easy not to notice this at first and it can then come as a shock, but as so many comment, it works, it really works.
A fellow gallery Director had encouraged me look at Elie’s work coming up at Christie’s in a forthcoming auction. I was immediately drawn to his flamboyance of his paintings, it was something very different, and I felt they would appeal to so many of our clients. We tracked him down in Belgium and I was lucky enough to spent a bucolic few days with Elie and his lovely wife Danielle, who did a formidable job keeping him on the straight and narrow.
Elie died in November last year, he had been preparing for this exhibition, but his family were adamant that the show should go ahead, we know too, that it was Elie’s wish. It is therefore poignant, and for us an honour and a pleasure, that we are able to hold this exhibition to celebrate an extraordinary life.
Geoffrey Hughes
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I discovered Elie Lambert’s work at The Osborne Studio Gallery in 2005, and it connected on so many levels. Albeit, I had come from a horse racing family, I found his unique interpretation of the thoroughbred amidst spectacular colour, in an English and French racing social framework, compelling.
Elie redefined in his lifetime, the imagery of the racehorse, and support cast, from jockey to trainer, owner to bookmaker, lad to punter, creating a medley of unbelievable charm. His mastery of colourful backgrounds, of contorted grandstands, racetracks and vegetation, are utterly captivating.
Elie’s inspired empathy for the world of horseracing, carries the same depth of understanding Lowrie, Dufy and Hockney all show in their subject matter. Elie’s passion went beyond just brush or palette strokes, he could sell. On visiting his home in Belgium with my son in 2015 to collect ‘Cagnes sur Mer’, after a well-oiled dinner, we left the next day equally well oiled, with five more paintings.
Later in 2015, Elie stayed with us in Northamptonshire for a dinner party. He walked into our drawing room with the words ‘Ah, I am in Lambert country!’. Of course he was, a few of his great works adorned our wall, but also at the heart of Elie, was the anglophile. He dressed so, talked so, and painted so, of Ascot, Goodwood, York, Chepstow, Pontefract and many more. The next day, cloth cap on his head and dressed in tweed, Elie went to our local church for Sunday Service. After communion, a racing friend attending, excitedly rang with a confession ‘Ah, I have just bought an Elie Lambert!’. Elie’s greatness is just about to begin!
Sebastian Riley-Smith
