HENRY ALKEN 'THE FIRST STEEPLE-CHASE' PLATE 2

AFTER HENRY THOMAS ALKEN (BRITISH, 1785�1851), ENGRAVED BY JOHN HARRIS (1811�1865) ANTIQUE HAND-COLOURED AQUATINT WITH ETCHING ON PAPER, PLATE 2 FROM "THE FIRST STEEPLE-CHACE ON RECORD", TITLED "THE LARGE FIELD NEAR BILES'S CORNER / WHOOP! AND AWAY!", PUBLISHED MARCH 1, 1839, BY BEN BROOKS AT HIS ECLIPSE SPORTING GALLERY, OXFORD. DEPICTS THE SECOND SCENE OF THE FAMED 1803 MOONLIGHT STEEPLECHASE WITH RIDERS IN NIGHTSHIRTS CLEARING DITCHES AND OBSTACLES AT BILES'S CORNER UNDER A FULL MOON PROVENANCE: PRIVATE COLLECTION, OTTAWA 10.625 X 14.375 IN PLATE 19 X 22.75 IN FRAMED "THE FIRST STEEPLE-CHACE ON RECORD" STANDS AMONG THE DEFINITIVE SPORTING PRINT SERIES OF 19TH-CENTURY BRITAIN. CONCEIVED BY PROLIFIC EQUESTRIAN PAINTER HENRY ALKEN AND RENDERED IN METICULOUS AQUATINT BY JOHN HARRIS, THE SUITE DRAMATIZES THE CELEBRATED NIGHT STEEPLECHASE OF DECEMBER 1803 RIDDEN BY CAVALRY OFFICERS IN FLANNEL NIGHT ATTIRE THROUGH THE SUFFOLK VALES. THIS SECOND PLATE DEPICTS THE EXCITING TURBULENCE AT BILES'S CORNER WITH COMIC AND DARING HORSEMANSHIP ACROSS SUNKEN HEDGES