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Lot 95

John Emms
(British, 1843-1912)
Foxhounds and a terrier

28 October 2009, 14:00 GMT
London, New Bond Street

£70,000 - £90,000

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John Emms (British, 1843-1912)

Foxhounds and a terrier
signed 'J.EMMS' (lower left)
oil on canvas
54 x 44cm (21 1/4 x 17 5/16in).

Footnotes

PROVENANCE:
Private collection, UK.

John Emms was the eminent sporting painter of his day and his ability to capture the character and temperament of working dogs is shown at its best in the present lot. Here, Emms has chosen to focus on two Hounds and a Terrier, a breed combination he often favoured. His involvement with hunt packs around Lyndhurst, particularly the New Forest Hunt, allowed him an intimate relationship with both the dogs and their masters and his paintings often included a strong human element, suggested here by the intense gaze of the three dogs, which one imagines to be directed towards their nearby master. Emms held a rare ability to inject life into his subjects and with his confident use of fluid and broad brushstrokes, he gives weight and solidity to the Hounds. This skillful rendering brings out the individuality of each dog while reminding the viewer of their function as working animals.

Emms remained close to the hunt packs he studied throughout his life and took regular commissions from the huntsmen he befriended. These remained constant until his later years and allowed him to produce paintings time and again that exhibited an artistic acumen that few could rival.

For a very similar composition, see Sotheby's, The Sporting Sale, London, 7 May 2008, lot 72.

Additional information

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