What characterises 19th-century British sporting art?

19th-century British sporting art typically depicts traditional countryside pursuits, including fox hunting, horse racing, and coursing. These paintings often feature detailed landscapes, riders in formal attire, and anatomically precise depictions of horses and hounds.

What materials were commonly used in 19th-century equestrian paintings?

Artists during this period primarily utilised oil paints on stretched linen canvas or wooden panels. These works were typically housed in ornate, hand-carved wood and gesso frames decorated with leaf gilding.

How can one verify the authenticity of an antique oil painting from this era?

Authentic 19th-century oil paintings usually exhibit age-appropriate craquelure across the paint layer, natural darkening or yellowing of the original varnish, and artist signatures near the lower margins. The reverse side often shows darkened wood or aged canvas stretcher bars with natural oxidisation.

How can an antique sporting painting be integrated into modern interior design?

A traditional sporting painting creates a focal point when hung above a mantelpiece or sideboard in contemporary or heritage-inspired spaces. Pairing rich oil tones with modern neutral walls or deep dark paint shades enhances the warm pigments of the artwork.

How should an antique oil painting and gilt frame be maintained?

Keep the artwork away from direct sunlight, high humidity, and heat sources to prevent cracking or warping. Lightly dust the frame and surface with a soft, dry brush, avoiding liquid cleaners or chemical polish.

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19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

Name: 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner
Brand: Antique
SKU: SA1178893
Price: 4000 GBP
Availability: InStock

19th century

For Sale by Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd

Description

Victorian Sporting Painting: The Meet (The Berkeley Hunt) c.1880 – Charles Faulkner

(This work is number 1 in a set of 4. The other three paintings in the hunting series are available to purchase separately. If you wish to acquire all four together, please send a message.)

Subject & Medium

Executed in oil on board, this painting depicts The Meet—the ceremonial gathering of huntsmen and hounds before the day’s chase begins. Set in Berkeley Vale, Gloucestershire, the historic heartland of the Berkeley Hunt, the work captures the composure, etiquette, and quiet anticipation that precede the excitement of the hunt.

The rigid board support allows for the crisp detail, refined contours, and atmospheric precision that define Faulkner’s sporting works.

Composition & Technique

Faulkner constructs a calm and disciplined prelude to the action. Huntsmen in traditional scarlet coats assemble in considered formation, some conversing, others adjusting reins or tack. In the middle distance, the hounds and whippers-in wait attentively, their pale coats catching the soft morning light.

The winter hedgerows and bare trees are rendered in deep browns, muted umbers, and earthy greens—evoking the late-season landscape of Berkeley Vale. Above, an overcast sky spreads across the scene, painted in cool greys and subdued blue tones, giving a sense of atmosphere and restrained movement.

The palette balances the warmth of the scarlet coats against the quiet tones of the landscape, a hallmark of Victorian sporting art.

Faulkner’s brushwork is sensitive and deliberate:

• Fine, controlled strokes define the horses’ musculature and the riders’ attire

• Short, textured strokes animate the clouded sky

• Layered highlights suggest sheen on coats and tack

• Quick, lively marks describe the clustered hounds

• Subtle scumbling and glazing unify hedgerows and middle distance

The result is a scene rich in ceremony and character—an accomplished Victorian portrayal of the hunt’s opening chapter.

About the Artist – Charles Faulkner (Active c.1874–1900)

Faulkner was a Victorian sporting painter known for his dynamic depictions of foxhunting, equestrian subjects, and English rural life. His work is admired for:

• Accurate, sensitive treatment of horses and hounds

• Clear narrative rhythm and compositional control

• Faithful representation of hunt customs and costume

Faulkner’s canvases remain sought-after examples of nineteenth-century British sporting art.

Signature

Signed “C. Faulkner” lower right.

Framing

Recently reframed in a decorative Larson-Juhl moulding and fitted with AR70 low-reflection, UV-protective glass. The glazing improves clarity, reduces glare, protects against fading, and enhances tonal balance, giving the work a museum-quality finish.

Framed dimensions: 41 cm (W) × 26.5 cm (H) × 4 cm (D)

A refined, versatile format well suited to studies, libraries, hallways, and curated gallery walls.

Provenance

• Gloucestershire Art & Antiques Dealer

• Harriet Wynter, Interior Decorations & Antiques, Brighton

• Private Collection

• Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

• Exhibited at the Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire (2025)

Why It Stands Out

• Rare, atmospheric depiction of The Berkeley Hunt

• Strong Victorian equestrian narrative with detailed observation

• Balanced palette of warm scarlets and quiet earth tones

• Authentic brushwork, confident draughtsmanship, and solid composition

• Museum-exhibited with reliable and well-documented provenance

• Upgraded with Larson-Juhl framing and AR70 protective glazing

Condition

In good condition for its age (c.1880).

The surface shows fine, natural craquelure and some foxing in the sky, consistent with Victorian oils. Very minor paint loss is visible in areas of the lower grass.

The varnish layer is clear and even. The board is flat, stable, and free from warping.

The Larson-J

Physical Dimensions

Height

26.5cm (10.43")

Width

41cm (16.14")

Depth

4cm (1.57")

Declaration

Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd has dated this Victorian Equestrian Oil Painting to the Victorian era.

Reference Numbers

Sellingantiques Reference

SA1178893

Dealers Internal Reference

743

Dealers Notes

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Description

Victorian Sporting Painting: The Meet (The Berkeley Hunt) c.1880 – Charles Faulkner

(This work is number 1 in a set of 4. The other three paintings in the hunting series are available to purchase separately. If you wish to acquire all four together, please send a message.)

fig 1. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 1. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

Subject & Medium

“

Executed in oil on board, this painting depicts The Meet—the ceremonial gathering of huntsmen and hounds before the day’s chase begins.

Cheshire Antiques Consultant Ltd

Set in Berkeley Vale, Gloucestershire, the historic heartland of the Berkeley Hunt, the work captures the composure, etiquette, and quiet anticipation that precede the excitement of the hunt.

fig 2. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 2. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

The rigid board support allows for the crisp detail, refined contours, and atmospheric precision that define Faulkner’s sporting works.

Composition & Technique

Faulkner constructs a calm and disciplined prelude to the action. Huntsmen in traditional scarlet coats assemble in considered formation, some conversing, others adjusting reins or tack. In the middle distance, the hounds and whippers-in wait attentively, their pale coats catching the soft morning light.

fig 3. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 3. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

The winter hedgerows and bare trees are rendered in deep browns, muted umbers, and earthy greens—evoking the late-season landscape of Berkeley Vale. Above, an overcast sky spreads across the scene, painted in cool greys and subdued blue tones, giving a sense of atmosphere and restrained movement.

fig 4. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 4. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

The palette balances the warmth of the scarlet coats against the quiet tones of the landscape, a hallmark of Victorian sporting art.

Faulkner’s brushwork is sensitive and deliberate:

• Fine, controlled strokes define the horses’ musculature and the riders’ attire

fig 5. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 5. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

• Short, textured strokes animate the clouded sky

• Layered highlights suggest sheen on coats and tack

• Quick, lively marks describe the clustered hounds

• Subtle scumbling and glazing unify hedgerows and middle distance

fig 6. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 6. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

The result is a scene rich in ceremony and character—an accomplished Victorian portrayal of the hunt’s opening chapter.

About the Artist – Charles Faulkner (Active c.1874–1900)

Faulkner was a Victorian sporting painter known for his dynamic depictions of foxhunting, equestrian subjects, and English rural life. His work is admired for:

fig 7. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 7. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

• Accurate, sensitive treatment of horses and hounds

• Clear narrative rhythm and compositional control

• Faithful representation of hunt customs and costume

Faulkner’s canvases remain sought-after examples of nineteenth-century British sporting art.

fig 8. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 8. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

Signature

Signed “C. Faulkner” lower right.

Framing

Recently reframed in a decorative Larson-Juhl moulding and fitted with AR70 low-reflection, UV-protective glass. The glazing improves clarity, reduces glare, protects against fading, and enhances tonal balance, giving the work a museum-quality finish.

fig 9. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 9. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

Framed dimensions: 41 cm (W) × 26.5 cm (H) × 4 cm (D)

A refined, versatile format well suited to studies, libraries, hallways, and curated gallery walls.

Provenance

• Gloucestershire Art & Antiques Dealer

fig 10. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 10. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

• Harriet Wynter, Interior Decorations & Antiques, Brighton

• Private Collection

• Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

• Exhibited at the Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire (2025)

Why It Stands Out

• Rare, atmospheric depiction of The Berkeley Hunt

fig 11. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 11. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

• Strong Victorian equestrian narrative with detailed observation

• Balanced palette of warm scarlets and quiet earth tones

• Authentic brushwork, confident draughtsmanship, and solid composition

• Museum-exhibited with reliable and well-documented provenance

fig 12. A 19th-century oil painting depicting equestrian fox hunters gathered in an open field, set within a heavily moulded gold gilt frame. — fig 12. 19th Century Painting the Meet the Berkeley Hunt by Charles Faulkner

• Upgraded with Larson-Juhl framing and AR70 protective glazing

Condition

In good condition for its age (c.1880).

The surface shows fine, natural craquelure and some foxing in the sky, consistent with Victorian oils. Very minor paint loss is visible in areas of the lower grass.

The varnish layer is clear and even. The board is flat, stable, and free from warping.

The Larson-J