English Fox Huntsman up on his horse

REF: 2134

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Henry Frederick Lucas Lucas was born in Louth, Lincolnshire in 1848 to St. John Wells, a surgeon, and Louisa Lucas. By 1871, his mother had died and the family had moved to Withington, Lancs where Lucas started a career as an architect's pupil. However, by the age of 33 he was working as a professional animal artist and was living with his first wife Sarah in North Street, Rugby. Their son St John Welles Lucas Lucas (1879-1934) attended Oxford and became a poet publishing works from 1904. In 1890, Lucas married Kathleen Liffie Beatson with whom he had 5 children and lived at Hillmorton Road, Rugby. At some point after 1911, he became estranged from his family. He died in Northampton in 1943. Lucas specialized in sporting and hunting paintings usually featuring horses. He painted a number of hunting scenes of the Pytchley Hunt as well as portraits of racehorses, polo ponies and hunters such as this fine example. Many of the polo ponies and hunters he painted were owned by his patrons Earl Betty and Sir Humphrey de Trafford. A number of his paintings were published by Fores Sporting Prints including perhaps his best-known work 'Putting in the Terrier'.

  • Height 48.24 cm / 19 "
  • Width 66.01 cm / 26 "

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