About this sheet
Johnny & An Old Hunter – Pair of Antique Sporting Horse Lithographs c.1840
A striking pair of original nineteenth-century sporting lithographs depicting Johnny and An Old Hunter, two distinguished horse portraits that celebrate the elegance, utility, and breeding traditions of Britain's golden age of equestrian culture. Executed in a matching format and style, these prints form an attractive decorative pair while offering a fascinating glimpse into the world of nineteenth-century sporting art.
The prints were produced after drawings by leading sporting artists of the period and printed by the renowned London lithographer Charles Hullmandel, whose workshop was among the finest and most influential lithographic establishments of the nineteenth century. Hullmandel collaborated with many of Britain's foremost equestrian artists, producing prints admired for their technical quality and artistic refinement.
The portrait of Johnny depicts a handsome horse standing proudly within a gently rolling landscape. The artist emphasizes the animal's elegant proportions, muscular build, and calm demeanor, qualities highly prized by breeders and sporting enthusiasts. The restrained landscape setting allows the horse itself to remain the central focus of the composition.
An Old Hunter presents a more characterful subject, portraying a seasoned hunting horse whose powerful frame and mature features speak to years of service in the field. The image celebrates the enduring value of the hunting horse in nineteenth-century Britain, when foxhunting, riding, and horse breeding formed an important part of rural life and aristocratic culture.
Both horses display the refined conformation and noble bearing associated with high-quality British bloodstock. Their elegant heads, long necks, and balanced proportions reflect the influence of the Arabian and Thoroughbred breeding traditions that transformed equestrian standards during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
Displayed together, the pair creates an impressive visual ensemble suitable for collectors of sporting art, racing memorabilia, country house furnishings, and equestrian history. Their monochrome palette and matching presentation make them particularly effective when framed as companion pieces.
This offering is for original nineteenth-century lithographs, not modern reproductions. Any framed room visualizations are intended solely to illustrate potential display options and may not accurately represent the prints' exact scale relative to the frame or interior setting.
Condition: Age-related toning, foxing, and occasional staining. Marginal wear including small tears, losses, creases, and handling marks consistent with age and former binding. Noticeable edge losses are present along the upper margins. The printed images remain strong and visually appealing. Please study the photographs carefully.
Framing tips: These prints display beautifully as a matching pair in dark walnut, ebonized, or traditional mahogany frames with warm ivory mats. A narrow gilt liner can subtly enhance the richness of the lithographic tones while preserving their refined sporting character. Ideal for libraries, studies, country houses, hunting lodges, and equestrian interiors.
Technique: Lithographs
Maker: After nineteenth-century British sporting artists; printed by Charles Hullmandel, London, circa 1840.
