Fox hunting was not only performed in the field but ‘re-enacted’ over long winter evenings (often fortified by generous quantities of alcohol and storytelling) in the hunters’ lodges, clubs and interiors. A carefully chosen ‘sporting assemblage’ of sporting art, sportsmen’s libraries, taxidermy and hunting objects formed the stage on which the huntsmen chose to perform.
This ‘sporting assemblage’ was as much a tool in constructing identity as the physical act of hunting itself. From Henry Alken’s celebrated hunting prints in a sportsman’s library to Art Deco 1920s cocktail shakers, the imagery of the chase galloped across both practical and decorative objects. Yet, like all fashion, hunting interior trends were cyclical. Between the 1780s to the 1930s, the style, content and display of these spaces altered dramatically and went through four distinct phases, reflecting the changing status and geographies of the sport and those who hunted.
A ‘TOOZLING’ SQUIREARCHY
Before the advent of modern fox-hunting in the 1780s, 18th-century hunting interiors were largely considered unsophisticated relics of past aristocratic hunting glories. What remained was a world of ‘toozling’ in the hedgerows and squireish hunting, caricatured by Henry Fielding’s Squire Western from the novel Tom Jones. Fashionable hunting enjoyed by royalty and the nobility had been dealt a severe blow by the Civil War, where deer, deer parks and royal forests had been all but destroyed by Cromwell. Surviving aristocrats had also been lured away by new, fashionable entertainments in Britain’s growing urban centres. Thereafter, the countryside homes, hunting activities and interiors of any remaining rural gentry were considered old-fashioned.
Denne historien er fra April 2020-utgaven av The Field.
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Denne historien er fra April 2020-utgaven av The Field.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Going over old ground
Forget modern tractors and minimum tillage - there is something glorious about the sight of farmer, horse and vintage plough in perfect harmony
Return of the natives
There is nothing as satisfying as creating a magical miniature woodland or conservation hedgerow using our native trees - and now is the best time to start.
Tagging the Cornish tunny
Enormous Atlantic bluefin tuna are once again making waves in UK waters almost a century after their showstopping appearance in the North Sea
In it for the long haul
It may have fallen out of favour at the elite level but long-format three-day eventing is still proving popular with grassroots riders
Unpicking the story of hunt buttons
These treasured tokens are bestowed only upon those who go above and beyond in service of their hunt but the rules around them can be complex
A place of tradition in the heart of town
Cordings has helped shape the sartorial landscape of Britain for 185 years, with its classic country tailoring a firm staple of many sporting wardrobes
Don't play it by ear
Hearing loss can have a devastating impact on day-to-day life, making ear protection a non-negotiable piece of field kit
Back to base-ics
Britain's famously unpredictable climate can make staying comfortable in the field a challenge but the right under layers can be a game changer
Stand and deliver
A good stance provides the platform for shotgun marksmanship and is fundamental to consistent success in the field or breaking clays
Heaven is a High Four
A team of guns enjoy a day of the finest sport Devon has to offer, courtesy of the GWCT and a quartet of generous shoot owners