Fishing on the River Avon, near Fordingbridge, Hampshire: Fishing for Pike (Primary Title)
Henry Thomas Alken, English, 1785–1851 (Artist)
In these two scenes, Alken captures anglers along the Hampshire Avon, one of the most famous rivers for trout fishing in England. Fishing was a less restrictive sport than shooting, and local fishermen could often obtain a permit from a landowner or the warden charged with looking after the stream and stocking it with fish. Alken’s figures relate convincingly to the landscape, which he has rendered in a realistic manner.
Inscribed on a branch, lower center, "H. Alken / 1842."
Paul Mellon Collection
2018-2019: "A Sporting Vision: The Paul Mellon Collection of British Sporting Art from the VMFA", National Sporting Museum & Library, Middleburg, VA, April 13 - July 22, 2018; Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN, February 2 - May 5, 2019; Frick Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, June 15 - September 8, 2019
Image released via Creative Commons CC-BY-NC
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