"Captain Frank Spicer M.C."

by Lionel Edwards

Gouttelette, Open Edition

Paper Size: 20 x 16 ins (50 x 40 cm)

Image Size: 12 x 8 ins (30 x 20 cm)

This charming painting is a fine example of the work of Lionel Edwards, one of the truly great sporting artists. A hugely enthusiastic fox hunter for most of his life, Edwards was a genuine authority on the sport, and this profound engagement with his subject allowed him to create depictions of hunting that remain internationally renowned to this day. This painting depicts Captain Frank Spicer, Master of the Avon Vale Hunt, with his hounds. The Avon Vale Hunt dates to 1888, when the Duke of Beaufort, finding that his own hunting country was too large, placed what is the present Avon Vale Hunt Country under the jurisdiction of Captain John Spicer, of Spye Park. The hunt survives to this day, and is famous for the impeccable pedigree of its hounds, which can be traced back over more than two centuries. In 1948, when this painting was executed, Lionel Edwards was entering his eighth decade; but this irrepressibly energetic man was showing no sign of easing into a quiet retirement. He continued to travel widely in search of sport, spending many days with the Quorn during his friend Denis Aldridges tenure as secretary of that hunt, and was still hunting well into his eighties. His ability with the brush enjoyed similar longevity, and this painting serves as a tremendous representation of the timeless talent of this wonderful artist

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