Early 20th Century English Fox Hunting Watercolor by Edwin Noble in Gilt Frame

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A lively celebration of traditional English sporting life, this handsome antique watercolor captures a mounted fox hunt moving through a … Read more A lively celebration of traditional English sporting life, this handsome antique watercolor captures a mounted fox hunt moving through a wooded country landscape. Crafted in England circa 1910, the original watercolor on paper depicts a huntsman in a vivid scarlet coat riding a chestnut horse through a large pack of foxhounds, while a second mounted rider follows along the path in the distance.

The composition is especially engaging for the remarkable number of individually rendered hounds, each shown in a different pose and with distinct markings and expressions. Noble demonstrates a confident understanding of both equine and canine anatomy, giving the scene a natural sense of movement and character. Soft washes of green, brown, gray, blue, and ochre create the atmospheric woodland setting, while the brilliant red hunting coats provide strong visual contrast and draw the eye through the composition.

The watercolor is signed “Edwin Noble” in block letters at the lower left corner. John Edwin Noble (1876–1961), who worked professionally as Edwin Noble, was an accomplished English painter, illustrator, and specialist in animal and sporting subjects. He studied at the Slade School of Fine Art, the Lambeth School of Art, and the Royal Academy Schools, and later became known for his skilled depictions of horses, dogs, and British country life. Noble also taught animal drawing and anatomy, reflecting the technical knowledge evident in the carefully observed animals portrayed in this work.

During the First World War, Noble served with the Royal Army Veterinary Corps and produced studies of military horses and mules, further developing the close attention to animal form that became a hallmark of his work.

Presented under glass in a handsome giltwood frame with wide linen matting, the antique watercolor has substantial decorative presence and is ready to hang. It is in excellent condition commensurate with age and use, with light age-related toning and scattered foxing visible to the paper. An appealing addition to a library, study, country house, equestrian interior, hunting lodge, or collection of English sporting art.

Dimensions: 31.75” W x 21” H See less