"The Cut em Down Captain"

by Snaffles

Goutelette, Open Edition Print

Paper Size: 8 x 11 ins / 21 x 28 cm

This is a delightful hunting scene by Snaffles, one of the most popular sporting artists of the twentieth century. Snaffles hunted keenly from an early age, and his understanding of field sports combined with a sharp wit to provide his work with an endearing, authentic quality which has ensured that it remains prized by collectors today. The Cut-em-down Captain was published initially around 1911, shortly before Snaffles suffered a bad fall at the Leicestershire Yeomanry Corps camp in the summer of 1912. Whilst this did not end his hunting days, was to prevent him from fighting in the First World War. The early 1910s were a time of increasing success and prosperity in Snaffless life; by September 1911 he had earned enough from his drawings and paintings to pay the £25 required to buy himself out of the army. By 1912 he was selling his work at an ever-increasing rate and had begun to move upwards both financially and socially. At this time, his hunting was primarily with the Garth and neighbouring packs and it was here that he met Cecil Aldin, who was to play a key role in nurturing Snaffless emerging talent and who was to remain a close friend until his death in 1935

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