Description

Title: Victorian Painting The Meet (The Berkeley Hunt) c1880 By Charles Faulkner

Description: Victorian Sporting Painting The Meet (The Berkeley Hunt) c1880 By Charles Faulkner

(This 1 work is 1 of 4, the other 3 in this hunting series are available for you to buy seperately, if you wish to purchase all 4 works together please message us thankyou)

Subject & Medium
Executed in oil on board, this work depicts The Meet—the ritualised gathering of huntsmen and hounds at the beginning of the day’s chase. Set in Berkeley Vale, Gloucestershire, home of the historic Berkeley Hunt, the composition captures the composure, etiquette, and anticipation that precede the thunder of the hunt.
The rigid board surface enables Faulkner’s crisp detailing, refined contours, and atmospheric precision—hallmarks of his sporting oeuvre.

Composition & Technique
Faulkner constructs a quiet, disciplined prelude to the hunt. Riders in traditional scarlet coats gather in calm formation, some pausing in conversation, others adjusting tack. In the distance, a cluster of hounds and whippers-in waits alertly, their white coats catching the pale morning light. The surrounding winter hedgerows and bare trees are rendered in deep browns, muted umbers, and earthy greens, evoking the late-season landscape of Berkeley Vale.
Above them, a broad overcast sky unfolds with short, textured strokes of cool greys and silver-blues, lending atmospheric movement and solemnity to the scene. The interplay of warm scarlet coats and subdued landscape tones produces a balanced, naturalistic palette typical of Victorian sporting art.
Faulkner’s brushwork is precise and narratively tuned:
Fine, controlled strokes shape the horses’ musculature and riders’ attire
Short, rhythmic strokes animate the clouded sky
Layered impasto highlights catch the sheen on coats and tack
Quick, lively touches define the clustered hounds
Soft scumbling and glazing unify hedgerows and middle distance
The result is a scene rich in ceremony, calm, and character—an exemplary Victorian depiction of the hunt’s opening act.

About the Artist – Charles Faulkner (Active c.1874–1900)
Faulkner was a Victorian sporting painter admired for his lively depictions of foxhunting, equestrian subjects, and English rural tradition. His work is celebrated for:
Accurate, sensitive handling of horses and hounds
Strong narrative rhythm and atmospheric stability
Faithful portrayal of hunt customs and attire
Faulkner’s paintings remain highly collectible examples of 19th-century British sporting art.

Signed
Signed “C. Faulkner” lower right.

Framing
Recently reframed in a decorative Larson-Juhl moulding, fitted with AR70 low-reflection, UV-protective glass. This glazing dramatically improves viewing clarity, reduces glare, protects against fading, and enhances the painting’s tonal balance—elevating the work to museum-display standard.

Framed Dimensions:
41 cm (W) × 26.5 cm (H) × 4 cm (D)
A refined and versatile display size, ideal for studies, libraries, hallways, and gallery walls.

Provenance️
• Gloucestershire Art & Antiques Dealer
• Harriet Wynter, Interior Decorations & Antiques, Brighton
• Private Collection
• Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD
• Exhibited at the Famous Lord Hill Museum, Shropshire (2025)

Why You’ll Love It
Rare and atmospheric depiction of The Berkeley Hunt
Superb Victorian equestrian narrative filled with detail and character
Harmonious colour palette—warm scarlets balanced by cool greys and earthen tones
Authenticated brushwork, crisp draughtsmanship, and strong composition
Museum-exhibited with reliable provenance
Beautifully upgraded with Larson-Juhl framing + AR70 museum glazing

Condition
The painting is in good condition for its age (c.1880):
Fine, natural craquelure & some foxing stains expected of Victorian oils and very minor paint loss to the lower green grass areas in places
Clear, evenly preserved varnish
Board support remains flat and sound
The Larson-Juhl frame and AR70 glass are in excellent condition.
Overall: clean, stable, and ready to hang.

Add this historic sporting masterpiece to your collection today.

Reserve: $4,050.00

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Condition

Used

Buyer's Premium

15%