HENRY ALKEN 'THE FIRST STEEPLE-CHASE' PLATE 3

AFTER HENRY THOMAS ALKEN (BRITISH, 1785�1851), ENGRAVED BY JOHN HARRIS (1811�1865) ANTIQUE HAND-COLOURED AQUATINT WITH ETCHING ON PAPER, PLATE 3 FROM "THE FIRST STEEPLE-CHACE ON RECORD", TITLED "THE LAST FIELD NEAR NACTON HEATH / ACCOMPLISHED SMASHERS & A RUN UPON THE BANK", PUBLISHED MARCH 1, 1839, BY BEN BROOKS AT HIS ECLIPSE SPORTING GALLERY, OXFORD. DEPICTS THE THRILLING THIRD SCENE OF THE FAMED 1803 MOONLIGHT STEEPLECHASE WITH RIDERS CRASHING THROUGH TIMBER GATES AND BANKS EN ROUTE TO NACTON HEATH 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" RANKS AMONG THE PINNACLES OF 19TH-CENTURY BRITISH SPORTING GRAPHIC ART. ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED BY PROLIFIC PAINTER HENRY ALKEN AND BROUGHT TO LIFE IN RICH TONAL AQUATINT BY MASTER ENGRAVER JOHN HARRIS, THE SERIES CHRONICLES THE ICONIC DECEMBER 1803 MOONLIGHT STEEPLECHASE CONTESTED BY CAVALRY OFFICERS CLAD IN NIGHT APPAREL. THIS THIRD PLATE SHOWCASES THE DRAMATIC ACTION AT NACTON HEATH AS MOUNTED PARTICIPANTS SMASH THROUGH HURDLES AND LEAP NATURAL EMBANKMENTS, ACCENTUATED BY PERIOD HAND-APPLIED WATERCOLOUR TONING.