Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd has dated this piece to the Victorian era.
Title “The Clandon Harriers Portrait of James Imms, Huntsman, on his favourite mare Libertine” by Richard Barrett Davis.
Oil on canvas, set in a traditional original gilt wood frame.
Having vivid hues, greens, brown, white, sky blue & black hue colours.
Circa 1840's mid 19th century early Victorian era.
Unsigned.
By the known British artist Richard Barrett Davis.
In our opinion this is an exceptional example of his work.
Subject hunting portrait of the known huntsman John Imms who is in full side profile riding up on his favourite bay hunter mare horse Libertine, he is holding her reigns in one hand ans is looking back towards the right, he is wearing his black hat with dark green hunting overcoat, with white trousers & tan brown & black riding boots. He has stopped in a clearing in the countryside. His pack of scent hound dogs are below around him sniffing the scent of the wild animal prey hares, further back to the right a tall lush green tree with a line of smaller trees further along. In the distance views of the Merrow Downs in Surrey open countryside, above the sky light blue with white scattered clouds.
An impressive display size with the frame being 87 cm high and 107.5 cm wide.
With hanging thread on the back ready for immediate home wall display.
Artist biography Artist biography Richard Barrett Davis RBA (1782–1854) was an animal and landscape painter. Davis was born at Watford in Hertfordshire 1782. In 1789 his dad became huntsman to the King George III, after seeing his sons drawings he persuaded Francis Bourgeois to teach the young artist. Davis studied under William Evans of Eton, under William Beechey, he was also in the Royal Academy where he first exhibited in 1802. He later joined the Society of British Artists in 1829, and was appointed animal painter to William IV in 1831. Then to Queen Victoria. From 1836 he made a series of prints for publishers A. H. Bailey & Co. titled ‘The Hunter's Annual’ (1836-41). He also made some 30 illustrations for the ‘Sporting Magazine’. He died in Kensington in 1854. His paintings have been exhibited in galleries & sold in auction houses around the world, the highest sold price is $40,623 US dollars. His work Near Virginia Water is in South Kensington Museum.
The Clandon harriers were established by their noble owner, the Earl of Onslow, then Lord Cranley, of Clandon Park, Surrey, in the year 1800. The hounds selected were from the best blood in the east of Sussex, as the following names fully justify-namely: Harrison Carrs, Beddingham; Mr. Augers, Eastbourne; Mr. Ellman, Glynde; and the Brookside harriers. With the hounds, their late huntsman, James Imms (whose portrait occupies the centre of this painting), was transplanted from the Sussex downs to the Surrey hills. From the first formation of the pack to the present period, his lordship has ever bestowed the greatest attention on the improvement of the hounds, sparing neither time, trouble, nor expense. Wherever there was a superior hound, whose breeding was known to be right, care was always taken either to secure him or to procure a cross. The result of this extraordinary attention, it will readily be supposed, was the production of a perfect animal, both as regards beauty of form and hunting qualities.
With these qualities, however, his lordship was not content: he determined to carry the excellence of the pack further, and therefore made a rule that every hound must have tan coloured head and ears. This combination of excellence and elegance might have satisfied the most fastidious; but not so the noble owner, for the "music of the pack" was quite as much an object of care with Lord Onsl
Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd has dated this piece to the Victorian era.
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Oil Painting the Clandon Harriers Hunt John Imms of Ringmer
