Welcome

My own interest in Sporting Art began when as a child I was given a book for either a birthday or Christmas present, not about art, but horses. Within the book were chapters on Sporting art and in particular the 20th century artists, with whole chapters on Munnings and Edwards. I looked at the chapter on Lionel Edwards for many years and can well remember the illustrations within those pages; The Grafton at Weedon Bushes, The Meynall at Hiltons Gorse and The South Notts away from Ploughman’s Wood. It wasn't until many years later that I found out more about these wonderful pictures and the artist.

In 1986, when the British Sporting Art trust held an exhibition in London & Leicester to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of Lionel Edwards, I decided that I would wait until the exhibition moved from London to Leicester and then take a look, as having seen some of his pictures in my childhood book, they must be good. Published to coincide with the exhibition was the book by JN Watson titled, Lionel Edwards Master of the Sporting Scene. At Leicester, I was at once familiar with the scenes portrayed, for here was an artist who knew the chase as well as I and painted scenes that I had come to love when following hounds. These were not pictures of comical figures, or stiff, wooden like horses galloping across country with no movement, these were real pictures of real people, horses, hounds and real hunting countries. From this moment I was hooked and determined to find out more about this man and his pictures. It wasn't until some 3 years later that I came across a print by this famous artist, again published to mark the anniversary of his death. It was of the Duke of Beaufort on Oxo, showing the 10th Duke of Beaufort hunting his dog hound pack on one of his favourite hunters, a horse often portrayed in early pictures with the Duke Hunting Hounds. I was still very naive at this point and knew next to nothing about this great artist, but ever determined to find out more about his prints as I was assured in an article published to coincide with exhibition that there were many. I did note at this point that they must be rare as I had seen none at this point with the exception of the modern reproductions.

Some twenty years later, I can recognise almost all of the prints from memory that were issued between the early nineteen hundreds and his death in 1966. I also have a vast database of sporting art related images, not only of Lionel Edwards, but works by Snaffles, Munnings, Aldin, F.A. Stewart, Ivester Lloyd and many other Sporting Artists. What set out as an interest in my childhood has turned into an obsession and I am in time, hoping to write a more thorough book about Lionel Edwards than the 1986 one. If you have any pictures, either originals, prints or illustrations that you feel may be of use in compiling this project then please do not hesitate in contacting me on any of the links below.

I hope that you find this web site easy to navigate, but if you can think of any improvements, then please do not hesitate in contacting me.

The prints for sale on this web site are but a small selection of many works available. If there are any Sporting Pictures / Prints or Books in particular that you are looking for then click here. You will be directed to a link that will inform me of your requirements.

~ Stephen Pritchard

'Greengates’, Station Road, Clive,

Nr. Shrewsbury SY4 3LD

Tel. 01939 220572 / 07889 800 857

e-mail