A highly recognisable illustrator, painter, and writer, Cecil Aldin was a leading light in the revival of sporting art at the beginning of the twentieth century. He strove to reinvigorate the subject and was inspired by sporting painters of the past such as Henry Alken and John Leech. Further to this, his lifelong passion for hunting provided both subjects and endless inspiration for the artist.
As his own participation in sport increased so did his output of sporting scenes. This is defined by his famous series 'The Hunting Countries' which he made between 1912 and the early 1920s. Not only was this series significant in documenting the development of Aldin's style but for also in its demonstration of his ability to portray the many different protagonists of the hunt, especially animals, in one scene.
Following the death of his son at Vimy Ridge in 1916, his post-war work began to move away from his innocent and playful depictions of the past. It was during this period he made many of his finest canine and equestrian works.