Sporting sketches

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Collection History

This digital presentation brings together two distinct holdings of work by Henry Alken (1785-1851), the best-known English sporting artist of his day and still one of the most popular. The two holdings are a group of 11 original pencil drawings and watercolor paintings, and Alken's classic portfolio Sporting Sketches of hand-colored lithographs, issued in 6 parts dated Feb. 1, 1817-Feb. 2, 1818. In addition to the 36 projected prints, The Library's copy contains an additional 28 images from other Alken series.

Background

Noted for his graphic precision as a painter and printmaker, Alken was one member of an extended family of sporting artists; his father and his son, both named Samuel, also specialized in sporting subjects. Alken worked for sporting periodicals as an illustrator and provided plates for the volume National Sports of Great Britain (London, 1821), where he pictured hunting, coaching, racing and other animal subjects.

Related Resources

American Art Association, Anderson Galleries, inc., New York. Sporting and colored plate books illustrated by Henry Alken, Thomas Rowlandson, Edward Orme and other famous artists, with many superb original drawings, the ... collection of Fitz Eugene Dixon ... to be dispersed at public sale ... January 6 and 7 [1937] ... by his order. (1937) "Sale number 4286."

Noakes, Aubrey. The world of Henry Alken [1952] (Old sporting series)

Schwerdt, C. F. G. R. Hunting, hawking, shooting; illustrated in a catalogue of books, manuscripts, prints and drawings (1928-37) 4 v.

Sparrow, W. Shaw. Henry Alken (1927) (The sport of our fathers. vol. I)

Collection Data

Description: Henry Alken's classic portfolio, Sporting Sketches, a collection of hand-colored lithographs, was issued in 6 parts dated Feb. 1, 1817-Feb. 2, 1818. In addition to the 36 projected prints, The Library's copy contains an additional 28 images from other Alken series.
Names: Alken, Henry Thomas, 1784-1851 (Engraver)
Dates / Origin: Place: London; Publisher: Published by S. and J. Fuller, at the Temple of Fancy; Date Issued: 1817-02-01 - 1818-02-02
Library locations: George Arents Collection; Shelf locator: Arents BIP (Alken, H.T. Sporting Sketches) 84-57
Topics: Sports in art; Sports -- Great Britain
Genres: Prints
Notes: Content: Arents copy: 6 pts. (61 art prints, dated Feb. 1, 1817-July 1,-1819), each pt. in dark buff paper covers numbered in ms. 1, [2],3-4, 8 [corrected to 5], 6; advertisement on p. 2 of covers has date 1818. Other advertisements vary. Covers repaired. The 6 plates in Schwerdt's pt. 1 are here in pts. 1-3; those in Schwerdt's pt. 2-6 are here in pts. 1-5 respectively.; Citation/reference: Schwerdt, C.F.G.R. Hunting, I, 25-26.; Biographical/historical: Henry Alken (1785-1851) was the best-known English sporting artist of his day. Noted for his graphic precision as a painter and printmaker, Alken was one member of an extended family of sporting artists; his father and his son, both named Samuel, also specialized in sporting subjects. Alken worked for sporting periodicals as an illustrator and provided plates for the volume National Sports of Great Britain (London, 1821), where he pictured hunting, coaching, racing and other animal subjects.
Physical Description: Extent: 6 pts. (art prints) : lithograph, hand-col. ; 28 x 44 cm. ; [61 pl.]; Lithographs
Type of Resource: Still image
Identifiers: RLIN/OCLC: NYPG84-B29407; NYPL catalog ID (B-number): b10851877; Universal Unique Identifier (UUID): c26cbaf0-c6d7-012f-d4fe-3c075448cc4b