Colonel Lord Barnby on ‘Crusader’ with the Blankney Hounds (1929)

The work depicts Lord Barnby (Francis Vernon Willey) who was master of Fox Hounds for Blankney Hunt from 1919-33.

Purchased in 1991 with the assistance of the Museums and Galleries Commission/Victoria and Albert Museum Purchase Fund, J.E. Sanders Charitable Trust, the Pilgrim Trust, the Heslam Trust, Friends of Lincoln Museums and Art Gallery, J.R.Halkes Trust, British Sporting Art Trust, Limes Developments Ltd and Mrs Lorna E. Gosling, 1991 UG 91/10.

It is a commissioned portrait of the rider on his favourite horse with the hunt progressing in the background. The setting is the Lincolnshire landscape with the fields stretching into the distance against the grey sky of the wintry day.

The horse is the main focus of the work looking fit and agile with his owner posing, perhaps looking a bit self-consciously in his regalia.

About the Artist

Sir Alfred Munnings (1878-1849)

Along with George Stubbs (1724-1806) Alfred Munnings is considered one of the great masters of sporting life. He was born in Suffolk and between 1893-98 he worked at a lithographers whilst attending night classes at Norwich School of Art. It was here that he learnt to draw from the life model.

In 1917 Munnings was sent to France as a war artist and was attached to the Canadian Brigade where he could concentrate on the men in action and horses. He produced over 50 works which secured his election as an Associate of the Royal Academy in 1919.

Munnings is mainly known for his grand commissioned works of horses and their owners. His main interest was capturing the ‘English Scene’, gypsies, farmers, country fairs and hunting scenes, which were painted spontaneously out of doors. His later works were concerned with capturing the drama of horse racing.

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