The Meet; Full Cry; Over the Brook; and The Death

Henry Alken Senior was the most influential and successful of the Alken family of sporting painters. He was the second son of Samuel Alken Sen. (1756-1815). His early training came from his father, but at a young age he also studied under John Thomas Barber Beaumont (1774-1841), a miniaturist, whose influence can be seen in the precise handling of his figures. He was well known through sporting prints of his paintings, such as the famous Midnight Steeplechase, published 1839. In 1816 he wrote and published The Beauties and Defects in the Figure of a Horse, and in 1821 illustrated The National Sports of Great Britain. His hunting scenes were particularly sought after, and it was rumoured that he was quite a rider, who supplemented his income by horse dealing.
The present scenes are likely to depict the Quorn Hunt, as the hounds are branded with 'O', perhaps for George Osbaldeston who was Master of the Hounds from 1817-21 and 1823-27. Given that the pictures are dated 1828, it is possible that they were painted in honour of Osbaldeston's retirement.