THE FIRST AVATAR INCARNATION:
NASRULLAH
acrylic on canvas
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NASRULLAH: THE FIRST AVATAR INCARNATION
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1940 -1959
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NASRULLAH ESTABLISHED ONE OF THE TWO MOST SUCCESSFUL BLOODLINES IN MODERN THOROUGHBRED HISTORY
LEADING SIRE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM AND UNITED STATES
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SIRE OF CHAMPIONS NASHUA, BOLD RULER, NOOR
GRANDSIRE OF CHAMPIONS SECRETARIAT
GREAT GRANDSIRE OF RUFFIAN AND FOOLISH PLEASURE
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Foaled in Ireland on March 2, 1940, Nasrullah was a product of distinguished bloodlines. Bred by one of the twentieth century's most respected horsemen, breeders, and humanitarians, the Third Aga Khan at his Stud Farm in Ireland, Nasrullah was given a name which, in Arabic, means "Victory of God" or "Gift of God." That name, indeed, was prophetic, as the horse is revealed to be the first of three Avatar Incarnations.
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Nasrullah distinguished himself as a major talent in racing, earning the title of Top Two-Year-Old Colt in the United Kingdom. He also distinguished himself as a difficult personality and he was retired from racing to stand at stud in Ireland after his three year old racing season. He was imported to the United States in 1950 and became a wildly successful racing sire. He remained at Claiborne Farms in Paris, Kentucky until his death in May of 1959. He excelled as producer of top racehorses, earning numerous Leading Sire titles.
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Arising from Nasrullah's bloodlines, came three of the most distinguished horses of all time, Bold Ruler, Secretariat through his son Bold Ruler, and Ruffian, through Bold Ruler's son, Reviewer.
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Nasrullah's role, as progenitor of new equine DNA in American thoroughbred bloodlines, his introductory racing experiences, and adjusting to during which he a fitting his energy into the body of a racehorse were the purposes of Nasrullah's life: The First Avatar Incarnation. In this way, Nasrullah's life o paved the way for his phenomenal success as Ruffian.
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“It has been suggested that Nasrullah had the greatest influence of any of the imported North American stallions of the twentieth century. Long after his own hoof beats have faded from memory, the sound of his descendants’ hooves can be heard on tracks all over the world.”
from "Nasrullah, Forgotten Patriarch of the American Thoroughbred"
Learn more about Nasrullah's stud career in America, click here
about the painting:
This canvas had been waiting for years for an image of a running horse. Intuitively, I felt that the running horse was entering the earth energetic field, however I kept looking to Native American or other mythology to inspire the work. In 2016, without analyzing it any further I started painting and upon completed the work in one evening, I realized that I had painted Nasrullah's energetic form, as he figured out how to merge all of his energy into earth vibrational field. Thus, I completed the third and final Avatar painting.
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