Description

Title: Victorian Oil Painting C1880 Full Cry (The Berkeley Hunt) By Charles Faulkner

Description: Victorian Sporting Oil Painting C1880 Full Cry (The Berkeley Hunt)” Charles Faulkner (British, active c.1874–1900)

(This 1 work is 3 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
“Full Cry (The Berkeley Hunt)” is a finely detailed oil on board capturing the most exhilarating instant of a traditional English foxhunt. Faulkner’s medium-sized oil works are known for their clarity, precision, and liveliness: compact in scale yet rich in narrative depth. Here, he employs oil on a smooth board surface, allowing for tight control in the figures while still achieving atmospheric breadth in the landscape. The result is a work that blends documentary accuracy with Victorian romanticism.

Composition & Technique
This composition exemplifies Faulkner’s mastery over movement, rhythm, and spatial storytelling.
Dynamic Foreground
A leading hound races forward, tail lifted and body stretched in a perfect stride, setting the painting’s pace.
Three central huntsmen gallop in synchronized motion, their horses—bay, chestnut, and dark brown—rendered with convincing musculature and anatomical observation.
Each rider is distinct: reins pulled taut, postures leaning into the gallop, and attire meticulously painted, from top hats to scarlet coats.
Midground & Structural Drama
On the right, a huntsman launches his mount over a wooden gate, captured mid-jump with remarkable tension and lift—an iconic visual hallmark of Victorian hunting art.
The bare winter tree stands stark against the sky, functioning as a compositional anchor and dividing the riders’ lateral sweep from the distant valley.
Atmospheric Distance
In the far distance, a cluster of huntsmen and hounds forms a pale, shimmering mass—softened intentionally with shorter, lighter brushstrokes to convey depth and aerial perspective.
The rolling fields of the Berkeley Vale are articulated in long, sweeping strokes that echo the movement of the chase.
Painterly Technique
Fine, controlled touches define the horses’ bridles, the riders’ collars, and the hounds’ heads.
Broader, scumbled applications in the sky and earth bind the figures naturally into the landscape.
Faulkner achieves a tonal harmony of cold English grey, winter greens, and warm hunting reds, producing a balanced and evocative countryside tableau.
This is a painting designed not only to depict movement, but to feel like movement.

About the Hunt Scene
This artwork portrays the dramatic moment known as “Full Cry”—the peak of the chase when hounds and riders commit fully to pursuing the fox.
Historical Context
The setting is drawn from the famous Berkeley Hunt, founded during the 12th century by the Berkeley family of Gloucestershire. As one of England’s oldest continuously active hunts, it has long symbolized the heritage, pageantry, and discipline of British country sport.
Narrative Depth
The tight-packed hounds indicate proximity to the fox; their body language shows urgency and focus.
Riders drop fences, traverse fields, and navigate hedgerows at full speed—illustrating the athleticism of both horse and rider.
Faulkner captures Victorian hunting culture as a social institution: discipline, camaraderie, tradition, and thrill.
Every element contributes to an authentic, historically grounded narrative.

About the Artist
Charles Faulkner (fl. 1874–1900) specialized in intimate, sharply observed sporting scenes. Though historically enigmatic, his body of work is unmistakable in quality and intention.
Artistic Characteristics
Refined equestrian draftsmanship — horses are rendered with anatomical accuracy, muscular tension, and expressive gait.
Expressive hounds — Faulkner’s careful study of pack movement gives the scenes their realism and narrative energy.
Atmospheric subtlety — misty sky tones, winter hedges, and rolling fields unify his compositions.
Narrative sequencing — Faulkner often painted hunt sequences (Meet → View Halloo → Full Cry → Death), documenting the full arc of the event.
His works are sought after by collectors of British sporting art, and this painting exemplifies the qualities that keep him relevant in the modern collector market.
Signed
Signed “C. Faulkner” lower right, consistent with authenticated period signatures.

Frame
Housed in a recently fitted decorative moulded Rococo-style gilt frame featuring elegant scrolling motifs and floral flourishes.
Fitted with museum-quality AR70 low-reflection protective glass, offering:
Enhanced visual clarity
Glare reduction
UV filtering
Additional conservation-grade protection
The warm gold patina harmonizes exquisitely with the scarlet hunting coats, the rich tones of the horses, and the earthy greens of the landscape, giving the work a distinguished and period-appropriate presentation of high decorative impact.

Dimensions
Framed: 41 cm (W) × 26.5 cm (H) × 4 cm (D)
A refined and display-ready format ideal for collectors’ galleries, libraries, country house interiors, and curated sporting art walls.

Provenance
• Gloucestershire Art & Antiques Dealer
• Harriet Wynter, Interior Decorations & Antiques, Brighton
• Private Collection
• Exhibited Famous Lord Hill Museum
• Curated by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD

Why You’ll Love It
Spectacular “Full Cry” depiction — the height of the chase
Signed work by esteemed Victorian sporting painter Charles Faulkner
Beautiful newly fitted Rococo-style gilt frame with museum-grade AR70 glass
Strong narrative composition full of motion, drama, and countryside atmosphere
Historically grounded in the legendary Berkeley Hunt
Harmonious palette and excellent decorative presence
A key component of the four-painting Berkeley Hunt cycle
Perfect for collectors of British sporting art, equestrian subjects, and rural heritage

Condition Report
Structurally stable board
Fine, even craquelure appropriate for age
Minor paint losses to sky area
Light abrasion confined to frame-edge contact
Gentle surface soiling and aged varnish consistent with Victorian oils
Overall, well-preserved, visually cohesive, and display-ready. Optional professional cleaning could increase brilliance.

Add this historic sporting masterpiece to your collection today.

Reserve: $4,050.00

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Condition

Used

Buyer's Premium

20%

Victorian Oil Painting C1880 Full Cry (The Berkeley Hunt) By Charles Faulkner

Name: Victorian Oil Painting C1880 Full Cry (The Berkeley Hunt) By Charles Faulkner
SKU: 231882381
Price: 2000 USD
Availability: InStock