Artwork

Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field

Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field, by Robert Peake the elder, oil, 1603
Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field, by Robert Peake the elder, oil, 1603

Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field is an oil painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Robert Peake the elder. It dates from 1603 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The painting shows Prince Henry Frederick and Sir John Harington mounted on horseback in a rural hunting field, accompanied by a deer and a hunting dog.

The painting shows Prince Henry Frederick and Sir John Harington mounted on horseback in a rural hunting field, accompanied by a deer and a hunting dog. The composition presents the two young nobles engaged in the aristocratic pursuit of the hunt, an activity traditionally associated with princely virtue, martial readiness, and the cultivation of courtly ideals. By placing the prince alongside his companion and the game, the work underscores Henry Frederick's role as a future monarch embodying the chivalric and pastoral virtues expected of royalty.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting executed on canvas, measuring 201.9 cm by 147.3 cm and dated 1603. Robert Peake the Elder employed oil paint to render a courtly equestrian portrait that places the Prince of Wales on horseback alongside Sir John Harington, with a deer and a dog incorporated into the hunting field setting. The composition follows the portrait genre typical of early Jacobean art, emphasizing realistic figure depiction and careful handling of light and space on the canvas support.

The painting's formal qualities include a balanced arrangement of subjects and a naturalistic treatment of animal forms within the landscape.

History & Provenance

Created in 1603, this oil-on-canvas portrait was executed by Robert Peake the Elder. It depicts Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, alongside Sir John Harington within a hunting landscape, and measures 201.9 cm by 147.3 cm. The original commission and the immediate chain of ownership are not detailed in the available records, but the painting eventually entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, where it is classified as a portrait. It was included in the exhibition "The Tudors: Art and Majesty in Renaissance England," confirming its standing as a recognized example of Renaissance English portraiture. No accession number is recorded in the available sources.

Overview

Painted in 1603 by Robert Peake the Elder, this oil portrait depicts Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, and Sir John Harington in a hunting landscape. The composition features the two youths dressed in green attire, positioned within a wooded setting populated by game animals. Henry Frederick stands on the right beside a dark horse, holding a sword, while Harington kneels to the left beside a stag with prominent antlers.

A white dog rests at the horse's feet, completing the hunting tableau. Created shortly after the accession of James I, the work serves as a dynastic statement, presenting the young heir apparent as a figure of martial readiness and aristocratic leisure. The painting exemplifies Peake's role as a leading court painter during the transition from the Elizabethan to the Jacobean era.

It reflects the period's emphasis on the prince's education and physical vigor, utilizing the hunting motif to symbolize nobility and control over nature. The work remains a significant example of early 17th-century British portraiture, capturing the specific identities of the sitters within an idealized natural environment.

Prince Balthasar Charles as a Hunter
Prince Balthasar Charles as a Hunter, Diego Velázquez

Artist & collection

Artist

Robert Peake the elder

Robert Peake the Elder (c. 1551–1619) was an English painter active in the later part of Elizabeth I's reign and for most of the reign of James I. In 1604, he was appointed picture maker to the heir to the throne,…

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field?

Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field was painted by Robert Peake the elder in 1603-01-01.

Where can I see Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field?

Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field?

Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Can I buy a print of Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field?

Museum-quality prints of Henry Frederick (1594–1612), Prince of Wales, with Sir John Harington (1592–1614), in the Hunting Field are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.