HENRY ALKEN 'THE FIRST STEEPLE-CHASE' PLATE 1

AFTER HENRY THOMAS ALKEN (BRITISH, 1785�1851), ENGRAVED BY JOHN HARRIS (1811�1865) ANTIQUE HAND-COLOURED AQUATINT WITH ETCHING ON PAPER, PLATE 1 FROM "THE FIRST STEEPLE-CHACE ON RECORD", TITLED "IPSWICH, THE WATERING-PLACE BEHIND THE BARRACKS / PREPARING TO START", PUBLISHED MARCH 1, 1839, BY BEN BROOKS AT HIS ECLIPSE SPORTING GALLERY, OXFORD,. DEPICTS THE RENOWNED 1803 MOONLIGHT STEEPLECHASE PREPARATIONS WITH CAVALRY OFFICERS IN NIGHTSHIRTS AND MOUNTED MOONLIT HORSES OUTSIDE THE IPSWICH BARRACKS PROVENANCE: PRIVATE COLLECTION, OTTAWA 10.625 X 14.375 IN PLATE 19 X 22.75 IN FRAMED HOUSED IN A MOULDED GILT-LINED FRAME UNDER MATTING "THE FIRST STEEPLE-CHACE ON RECORD" REPRESENTS ONE OF THE MOST CELEBRATED SPORTING PRINT SUITES IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY BRITISH ART. DESIGNED BY FOREMOST EQUESTRIAN ARTIST HENRY ALKEN AND EXPERTLY ETCHED AND AQUATINTED BY JOHN HARRIS, THE FOUR-PLATE SUITE COMMEMORATES A FABLED NOCTURNAL RACE RUN BY CAVALRY OFFICERS IN FLANNEL NIGHTSHIRTS ACROSS THE SUFFOLK COUNTRYSIDE IN DECEMBER 1803.