The chase after the hog; and The hog at bay

Details

Samuel Howitt (1756-1822)
The chase after the hog; and The hog at bay
with inscriptions and numbered 'THE CHASE AFTER THE HOG./NO 3.' and 'THE HOG AT BAY./NO. 6.' (on old labels attached to the backboard)
pencil, pen and grey ink and watercolour, on oatmeal paper
11¾ x 17 in. (29.9 x 43.2 cm.); and slightly smaller (2)

Provenance

The Egerton Family.
Mrs. H.E. Leigh, 1971.
with Leger Galleries, 1972.
Anon. sale, Christie's London, 14 July 1987, lots 181 and 182 (£1760 and £1540 respectively).

Engraved

H. Merke, aquatint engraving, published by Edward Orme for Oriental Field Sports, 1 September 1805, no. III and 1 April 1806, no. V (Abbey Travel 427, nos. 5 and 23).

Special notice

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Lot Essay

The following two watercolours are reproduced in Oriental Field Sports, an album of 42 engravings and aquatints being in its own words 'a complete detailed and accurate description of the Wild Sports of the East.' Hunting was one of the favourite pastimes of the Anglo-Indian society and pig-sticking, along with jackal hunting, was a particular favourite.

Howitt was influenced by Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827), whose sister Howitt married. He himself never visited India, but based his watercolours for the series on the drawings of Captain Thomas Williamson, who served in India from 1778-1789, when he retired after publicly denouncing the government's military policy in India.

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