John Imms of Ringmer, The Clandon Harriers Hunt, 19th Century, Large Oil Painting

1 British Victorian Oil Painting The Clandon Harriers Hunt John Imms of Ringmer Up Mare Libertine with Scent Hound Dogs. 1 British Victorian Oil Painting The Clandon Harriers Hunt John Imms of Ringmer Up Mare Libertine with Scent Hound Dogs. Impress your clients & guests with this hunting masterpiece statement artwork for your office or home wall space. Title “The Clandon Harriers Portrait of James Imms, Huntsman, on his favourite mare Libertine” by Richard Barrett Davis. Oil on canvas, set in a traditional original gilt wood frame. Having vivid hues, greens, brown, white, sky blue & black hue colours. Circa 1840's mid 19th century earlyVictorian era. Unsigned. By the known British artist Richard Barrett Davis. In our opinion this is an exceptional example of his work. Subject hunting portrait of the known huntsman John Imms who is in full side profile riding up on his favourite bay hunter mare horse Libertine, he is holding her reins in one hand ans is looking back towards the right, he is wearing his black hat with dark green hunting overcoat, with white trousers & tan brown & black riding boots. He has stopped in a clearing in the countryside. His pack of scent hound dogs are below around him sniffing the scent of the fox prey, further back to the right a tall lush green tree with a line of smaller trees further along. In the distance views of the Sussex Downs in open countryside, above the sky light blue with white scattered clouds. An impressive display size with the frame being 87 cm high and 107.5 cm wide. with hanging thread on the back ready for immediate home wall display. Artist biography Artist biography Richard Barrett Davis RBA (1782–1854) was an animal and landscape painter. Davis was born at Watford in Hertfordshire 1782. In 1789 his dad became huntsman to the King George III, after seeing his sons drawings he persuaded Francis Bourgeois to teach the young artist. Davis studied under William Evans of Eton, under William Beechey, he was also in the Royal Academy where he first exhibited in 1802. He later joined the Society of British Artists in 1829, and was appointed animal painter to William IV in 1831. Then to Queen Victoria. from 1836 he made a series of prints for publishers A. H. Bailey & Co. titled ‘The Hunter's Annual’ (1836-41). He also made some 30 illustrations for the ‘Sporting Magazine’. He died in Kensington in 1854. His paintings have been exhibited in galleries & sold in auction houses around the world, the highest sold price is $40,623 US dollars. His work Near Virginia Water is in South Kensington Museum. The Clandon harriers were established by their noble owner, the Earl of Onslow, then Lord Cranley, of Clandon Park, Surrey, in the year 1800. The hounds selected were from the best blood in the east of Sussex, as the following names fully justify-namely: Harrison Carrs, Beddingham; Mr. Augers, Eastbourne; Mr. Ellman, Glynde; and the Brookside harriers. with the hounds, their late huntsman, James Imms (whose portrait occupies the centre of this painting), was transplanted from the Sussex downs to the Surrey hills. from the first formation of the pack to the present period, his lordship has ever bestowed the greatest attention on the improvement of the hounds, sparing neither time, trouble, nor expense. Wherever there was a superior hound, whose breeding was known to be right, care was always taken either to secure him or to procure a cross. The result of this extraordinary attention, it will readily be supposed, was the production of a perfect animal, both as regards beauty of form and hunting qualities. with these qualities, however, his lordship was not content: he determined to carry the excellence of the pack further, and therefore made a rule that every hound must have tan coloured head and ears. This combination of excellence and elegance might have satisfied the most fastidious; but not so the noble owner, for the "music of the pack" was quite as much an object of care with Lord Onslow as the shape, size, and uniform colour of the hounds. Such, indeed, was the delicacy of his lordship's ear, that he immediately detected the note of discord; and the hound failing in this particular, however good his qualities in other respects, was immediately condemned. The cry of the pack is, in consequence, music itself; and to describe the effect produced the first time it falls on the ear is impossible. It can be compared to nothing so happily as a well-attuned ring of joyful bells, full of life and mirth, without a single jar to mar the melody. The harmony of a pack of hounds, if ever attempted, has, we believe, never before been accomplished, and is a taste which could be gratified only by a person having an ample purse and liberal hand, as the voice of the hound will change with his years. Often would Imms, when a favourite hound or known good one had failed in his note, plead his age in extenuation, and feelingly beg for his retention in the pack; but so inexorable was his lordship's rule, that in no instance was the prayer successful. The old huntsman, presuming on his standing, would sometimes venture to disobey orders, taking especial care, however, not to have the condemned hound with the pack when his lordship was in the field; but this availed nothing: sooner or later, the note of discord was sounded in the kennel-cry; and then the imperative mandate went forth, and Imms was reluctantly obliged to succumb, and part with his favourite. The pack are good hunters, and have the reputation of being the fastest harriers in England, and certainly in beauty of form and colour cannot be surpassed. They are a large hound, are well eared, and have plenty of tongue, a great desideratum in a pack of harriers; whilst their bodies have a very strong resemblance to that of the foxhound. The last cross of any great extent was from the Reigate pack, in 1840. They have also been crossed with the blood of Thomas Meagre, Esquire, of Pitt Place, near Croydon. Last year his lordship presented Prince Albert with seven couples of hounds, towards the formation of his Royal Highness's pack. The country these hounds principally hunt is the beautiful Surrey hills immediately round Guildford, where the hares are remarkably strong. The consequence is, they always have good sport; and towards the latter part of the season some very extraordinary runs, which both for pace and distance might claim a higher rank than is generally allowed the "pottering" of the harrier. Many are the tales told in the neighbourhood, of the shifts resorted to by poor puss to avoid her staunch pursuers, such as taking refuge in drawing-rooms, and on one occasion, a few years since, secreting herself underneath the folds of the cook's dress, in the kitchen of Loseley House. The late huntsman of the pack, James Imms, was born at Ringmer, near Lewes, Sussex, and was initiated into the art and mystery of his calling by the late Mr. Ellman, of Glynde, well known as the great improver of the Southdown sheep, and who was also as thorough a sportsman as "e'er followed a hound." It may be said that Imms was a born sportsman. When a mere lad he played truant from school, and established himself in Mr. Ellman's service, where he had been several weeks before his friends discovered the lost and truant boy. If the change from the downs of Sussex to the hills of Surrey conduced to the improvement of the hounds, it is equally certain it was not prejudicial to their huntsman, who lived to the good old age of seventy-six, without being absent, it is believed, from the meet a single day, either from accident or illness. His increasing attention to details the most minute, and his judicious kennel-management, materially assisted his lordship in bringing the hounds to their present state of perfection. In the field, Imms had his own peculiar notions about hunting. One golden rule, however, he never departed from-to let the hounds do their own work. Though possessed of a fine voice, Imms was very sparing with the "holloa;" and it an unfortunate wight, in the excitement of the moment, ventured to indulge in a cheer, he was speedily checked, and it was not uncommon for him to remark, "I wish, sir, you would not make that noise; the hounds must know their business better than you can do. Notwithstanding his great age, he would not give up "the management. The ruling passion could not have been stronger in Tom Moody than in Imms; for within a few days of his death he was at his post, and was never known to go better. But his race was nearly run: he was taken ill, and, as he continued to get worse, he was induced by the entreaty of his family and friends to admit the doctor. His lordship's medical attendant, therefore, visited him, and no doubt did all that skill could devise to afford his patient relief. The pill and draught were duly compounded and sent, and with much entreaty, and after many grimaces, swallowed; but not obtaining the promised relief, Imms lost all patience, and, in a menacing attitude, thus addressed the doctor on his next visit: "Well, here you are again-now mind, I'll give you but one more chance." That chance the doctor never had, death within a few hours having terminated the old man's earthly career, to the great regret of his lordship and all who knew him. The proportions of his favourite mare (by Libertine, out of a Welsh mare), portrayed in the print, were those of a dray-horse in miniature, little indicating the qualities of the hunter. There was, however, a character about her head, and in that never-failing organ, the eye, which plainly told of rare qualities. She was remarkably good in her paces, as docile as a lamb, and as stout as steel, the longest and severest run being never too long or severe for her. On the day of the old man's funeral she was destroyed, by his lordship's directions, and buried in the "old hunter's croft" attached to the kennel, which is situate in a beautiful valley on the Merrow downs, close to the course of the once-celebrated Guildford races-a most picturesque spot, and well deserving the attention of the painter. The hounds are now cleverly hunted by Thomas Imms, a worthy scion of the old huntsman, and who for twenty years was whip to his father. Sources The New Sporting Magazine "Davis, Richard Barrett" . Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 1885–1900. Provenance This painting had its image engraved in the Sporting Magazine in 1847, private hunting collection from the vendor, high end London based auction & Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD. Dimensions in centimetres of the frame High (87 cm) Wide (107.5 cm) Depth thickness of frame (5.5 cm) less