Henry Alken Sr.

Back

(British, 1785-1851)

Born in 1785 in London, Henry Thomas Alken was the son and pupil of Samuel Alken Sr. and became a prolific painter of sporting works, including hunting, coaching, racing and steeplechasing scenes. He is best known today for perhaps one of the most collected series of sporting prints of all time, The Midnight Steeplechase or The First Steeplechase On Record, which was published by Ackermann.

Henry Alken worked in both oil and watercolour, and also made a living as an etcher. He worked in London and the provinces, and mastered a variety of media, while his range of subject matter remained somewhat unadventurous.  Due to early instruction from the miniature painter J.T. Beaumont (1774-1851), his work gained a graphic precision, which is lacking in most of the work of his many artist relatives.  His work was frequently copied by his son, Henry Jr.  He was employed by sporting periodicals as an illustrator, and also provided plates for the National Sports of Great Britain (London, 1821).  Henry Alken died in London in 1851. 

 
The Alken Family:
English family of artists of Danish descent. The earliest member active in England was Sefferien Alken (1717–82), who was a wood-carver, gilder and stone-carver employed by William Chambers. His son Samuel Alken was an engraver. Four of Samuel Alken’s sons, Samuel Alken (1784–c. 1825), Henry Thomas Alken (see above), George Alken (c. 1794–1837) and Sefferien John Alken (1796–1857), were sporting artists. In the next generation Henry Alken’s sons Samuel Henry (Gordon) Alken (1810–94, known as Henry Alken, Jr.) and Sefferien Alken (1821–73) were also artists.

Huntsman
Watercolor
9" x 13"
The Spree at Melton
Pencil 10.25" x 14.25"