19th Century Oil Painting the Death the Berkeley Hunt C1880 by Charles Faulkner

Details

Description

British Sporting 19th Century Oil Painting — The Death (The Berkeley Hunt), c.1880
Charles Faulkner
(This work is number four … Read more British Sporting 19th Century Oil Painting — The Death (The Berkeley Hunt), c.1880
Charles Faulkner
(This work is number four of a four-part hunting series. The other three are available individually; please message us if you wish to purchase the complete set.)
Subject & Medium ️
Executed in oil on board, this painting captures The Death—the formal conclusion of a traditional English foxhunt. The scene is associated with The Berkeley Hunt, one of Britain’s oldest and most distinguished hunting traditions, rooted for centuries in the Gloucestershire countryside.
The rigid board surface enables Faulkner’s characteristic precision: crisp anatomical rendering, closely observed hound movement, and controlled atmospheric layers. Subtle greys, earthy umbers, and muted greens create a cohesive Victorian sporting palette and reinforce the work’s rural authenticity.
Composition & Technique ✨
Faulkner organises the composition along a strong forward diagonal, drawing the viewer into the climactic intensity of the chase’s final moment.
Horses are angled with anatomical exactness, defined through short, overlapping strokes that model musculature and directional force.
Hounds move in coordinated formation, their bodies shaped by rhythmic, curved marks that convey pack cohesion.
Landscape elements—hedgerows, open fields, and distant tonal gradations—are painted with softer, more atmospheric handling to maintain spatial depth without competing with the central action.
The overall tonal structure reflects the cool, overcast light typical of Gloucestershire, anchoring the scene in its historical locale.
The result is a tightly crafted finale to the hunt cycle, rich in momentum and narrative clarity.
About the Artist — Charles Faulkner (Active c.1874–1900) ‍
Charles Faulkner was a Victorian specialist in equestrian and hunting subjects, producing works favoured by country-house patrons and sporting collectors. His paintings are distinguished by:
Strong anatomical observation
Clear narrative sequencing
Realistic hound and horse depiction
A restrained earth-toned palette characteristic of late 19th-century sporting art
Although biographical records are limited, authenticated works from the 1870s–1890s, typically signed “C. Faulkner,” establish his consistency and craftsmanship across multiple hunting scenes.
Signature ✍️
Signed “C. Faulkner”, in line with verified signatures from the artist’s period works.
Framing ️✨
Recently reframed in a decorative Larson-Juhl moulding and fitted with AR70 low-reflection, UV-protective glass. This glazing enhances optical clarity, reduces glare, provides conservation-grade UV shielding, and elevates the painting to museum-display standards.
Framed Dimensions:
✅ 41 cm (W) × 26.5 cm (H) × 4 cm (D)
Provenance ️
• Gloucestershire Art & Antiques Dealer
• Harriet Wynter, Interior Decorations & Antiques, Brighton
• Private Collection
• Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
• Exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire (2025)
A strong provenance providing excellent collector assurance.
Why You’ll Love It ❤️
✅ Rare and atmospheric portrayal of the historic Berkeley Hunt
✅ A quintessential Victorian foxhunting subject, highly desirable among equestrian-art collectors
✅ Museum-exhibited example with strengthened cultural and market value
✅ Newly framed with Larson-Juhl moulding + AR70 protective glazing
✅ Elegant, versatile format for libraries, studies, and gallery displays
✅ Classic Faulkner storytelling—movement, tension, and rural atmosphere
✅ A key concluding work in the four-painting hunt cycle
✅ Ideal for collectors of Victorian sporting art and British country-house interiors See less