Walter Hunt was a member of the Hunt family of painters, a dynasty of artists made famous through their depictions of farmyard life. His father Charles (1829-1900) is better known for his pictures of children painted in humourous or playful situations. The two sons chose to concentrate as animal painters, Edgar (1876-1955) in particular worked in a meticulous, realistic style producing pictures of poultry, other birds, donkeys, goats and poines, see lots 408-9.

Walter was more adventurous in his farmyard scenes although his style is similar to his brother. He included children to create a narrative in his work. Walter exhibited at the Royal Academy between 1881 and 1904. Weanlings was shown there in 1889. It is one of the largest and most detailed of his pictures to come on the market and could perhaps be described as his masterpiece. It was exhibited four years after The Dog in the Manger which was purchased for the Chantrey Bequest for ¨250.