A late autumn scene through vale country, Spode has depicted a pack of hounds in full cry, with a large, spread-out field in pursuit. It is an energised scene but also presents a rural idyll, with a farmhand ploughing with oxen in the middle distance and two separate church steeples nestled in isolation. The churches, with a plaster or limewash finish and slate or led rooves, are not typical English styles. However, this particular steeple appears in landscapes in multiple paintings by Spode, from different locations across Britain. Therefore, it is likely that Spode reimagined existing landmarks and altered them to his own taste.

The presence of the Whissendine Brook in Spode’s painting places it within the heart of hunting history. The brook runs through Leicestershire and Rutland, only 6 miles away from the market town of Melton Mowbray, known as the cradle of foxhunting, as here the country of three major packs converge; The Belvoir, The Quorn and The Cottesmore. Because of this, any landmarks in the surrounding area are marked in sporting literature and visual media.

As for the field, it is likely that the man on the grey in the foreground is the Earl of Lonsdale, one of Spode’s many patrons. Whilst he is not in front with hounds, the prominent position denotes the importance of the individual. The mid-air action shot of him jumping the large upright five bar gate is perhaps a particular feat that he wanted commemorated.