Henry Thomas Alken

Henry Alken spent his days tucked in a tiny attic above a London print shop, ink-stained fingers and a pack of noisy terriers for company, sketching every horse he could beg a ride on. The man could draw a galloping hoof so you’d feel the ground shake, yet he’d also slip smuggling prints of boxing matches past the same shop owner who sold his hunting scenes. If you want to see his work in action, look up The Belvoir Hunt: Jumping into the Brook, it’s the closest you’ll get to hearing the hounds and hunters without leaving your screen.