Very Important Hunting / Dated 1896 / English School / Walter Reeves

This painting, made by the English painter Walter Reeves in 1896, represents a hunting scene, an aristocratic tradition typical of England at that time. It realistically captures the elegance of the riders, horses and dogs, in a rural landscape, under a slightly misty sky.

92 x 73 hots frame
120 x 101 with frame
(very beautiful gilded and molded wooden frame from the 19th century)
Signed and lower right, countersigned "R" (Reeves) on the back and dated 96 (1896)

The composition is centered on a rider in red clothes, immediately attracting attention, while the moving dogs add dynamism to the scene. The background, with other riders, provides depth to the whole. Reeves uses a natural color palette, dominated by greens, browns and reds, highlighting the scene with a subtle contrast between the hunters' bright clothes and the peaceful landscape. The artist's style is based on realism, with particular attention paid to the details of the animals and the atmosphere of the scene. The dogs depicted are English foxhounds, a breed used specifically for hunting with hounds due to their endurance and exceptional sense of smell. Their presence reinforces the authenticity of the scene, evoking the dynamics of hunting in a pack, where man, horse and dog work in perfect harmony. Dated 1896, this work evokes a time when hunting with hounds was a symbol of English high society.