Alfred James Munnings, The Huntsman, Ned on the Brown Mare, 1910s, Etching, Framed

Details

Description

Technique on support: Etching on paper
Title of the work: “The Huntsman. Ned on the Brown Mare”
Author: Sir Alfred … Read more Technique on support: Etching on paper
Title of the work: “The Huntsman. Ned on the Brown Mare”
Author: Sir Alfred James Munnings
Signed in the lower left corner
School: Newlyn School
Period: 1910s
Country of origin: England
Provenance: Private collection
Good condition commensurate with age and use
Overall dimensions: 62 x 77 x 2 cm
Unframed dimensions: 48 x 64 cm

Exquisite etching of the original work by the celebrated British painter Sir Alfred James Munnings, one of the greatest exponents of 20th-century equestrian art and a key figure of the Newlyn School. Titled “The Huntsman. Ned on the Brown Mare,” the piece captures an autumnal hunting scene in the countryside. The composition, with a single hunter in the foreground, reflects Munnings's already mature style, which typically portrayed equine figures with particular attention. This approach appeared in his work from 1907 onward and was consolidated during his stay in Cornwall, when he felt nostalgic for the hunting scenes of his hometown.
More than a simple hunting scene, this image conveys the vital drive of the rider, the drama of the jump, and the artist's technical prowess. Particularly noteworthy is the artist's excellent anatomical work in portraying the horse. A passionate horseman himself, Munnings expressed in his work his own quest for that perfection of the jump, perhaps idealized but deeply felt.
About Sir Alfred James Munnings:
Sir Alfred James Munnings (1878–1959) was a prominent British painter, renowned for his mastery of horses and hunting scenes. Born in Mendham, Suffolk, he developed an intimate connection with the English countryside, animals, and rural life from a young age, which would profoundly influence his work. Although he lost the sight in one eye at age 20, he continued painting with exceptional tenacity.
Munnings trained at the Norwich School of Art and later joined the Newlyn School, a community of artists based in Cornwall, where he perfected his naturalistic style and his mastery of color and light. During the First World War, he was assigned as a war artist, an experience that further cemented his reputation.
His lively technique and intimate anatomical knowledge of the horse made him one of the most sought-after equestrian portraitists of his time. In 1944, he was appointed president of the Royal Academy of Arts, a position in which he staunchly defended figurative art, opposing emerging modernist movements. In addition to his paintings, Munnings left a three-volume memoir in which he recounted with humor and lucidity his life as an artist, rider, and lover of the English countryside. His legacy lives on as a symbol of a pictorial sensibility that captured the spirit of the traditional equestrian world with strength and elegance.
The frame protecting the artwork is offered as a gift, but has value in itself. It is provided at no additional cost so that when your artwork arrives at your home or destination, it can be immediately displayed. Any damage to the frame itself, which does not affect the integrity of the artwork, cannot be accepted as a valid reason to open a claim or request a cancellation. This piece has an attribution mark,
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