‘And o’er the lawn’ (1794)

Samuel Howitt's "And o’er the lawn," crafted in 1794, encapsulates the vigor and dynamism of an 18th-century fox hunt in the English countryside. This lively scene is sketched with a remarkable attention to the motion and poise of both the hunters and their steeds, reflecting the pace and passion of the chase.In the painting, several figures on horseback dominate the foreground, engaged in a spirited chase. The central figure adeptly manages his horse, his pose tense with anticipation, while he wields a whip over his head, emphasizing the movement and urgency of the hunt. His fellow hunters, adorned in traditional hunting attire, echo this animation, their focus fixed on the pursuit.The landscape itself—a cluster of delicate trees and distant rolling hills—serves as a soft backdrop to the tumult of the hunt. Howitt’s skilled etching strokes render the foliage and the terrain with a lifelike texture, which beautifully contrasts the rapid energy of the hunters and their mounts.Moreover, an inscription beneath the illustration pairs the visual with a poetic touch, enhancing the image's narrative depth: "O'er the lawn as fancy swallowing up the space between, Pow'r all your speed into the rapid game." This eloquent line further immerses the viewer into the painting’s theme, invoking the thrill and immediacy of the hunt, which for many during this era, was not only a sport but a celebrated social ritual.