James Barenger Lord Derby's Foxhounds - a English Hunting Scene by James Barenger 1809

James Barenger the younger (1780-1831) ‘Lord Derby's foxhounds’ signed and dated 'J. Barenger. 1809-' (lower right) oil on canvas 25 x 30 in. (63.5 x 76.2 cm.)

£35,000

Barenger was born in Kentish Town, London, the son of James Barenger Snr., a metal chaser and artist who exhibited paintings of insects at the Society of Artists and Royal Academy, and Sarah Woollett, the daughter of the engraver, William Woollett. His brother Samuel Barenger (christened Major Samuel Barenger) also became an engraver. Beginning as a landscape artist, Barenger went on to specialse in painting horses, dogs and other animals, and hunting scenes. In 1807, at the age of 28, he exhibited at the Royal Academy for the first time. At this stage he was living with his father in Kentish Town, but later moved to Camden Town. He went on to exhibit 48 paintings at the Royal Academy and eight at the British Institution.

He acquired numerous wealthy and aristocratic patrons, and his pictures were also engraved for sporting publications such as W. H. Scott's British Field Sports, The Sporting Repository, The Annals of Sporting and The Sporting Magazine. For the last of these, Scott engraved Barenger's painting of the racehorse Blucher (ca. 1814). One of his most famous paintings being that of Earl Derby's Staghounds. Making this painting an exceptional example of the artist's noted subjects. He exhibited many paintings at the Royal Academy and is still today a very well collected and sought after artist. His works hang in numerous private and public art collections including Tate Britain, London. As well as painting, Barenger also bred pointer dogs. He died on 1 October 1831 and was buried in Old St Pancras churchyard