Framed Fox Hunting Prints

At the beginning of the 16th century, foxhunting was introduced and for almost 500 years it was legal in United Kingdom. Bows and arrows were initially used for this purpose, although the advanced the firearms improve the effectiveness of foxhunting. Unlike other animals that were hunted mainly for meat, foxes were hunted mainly for fur and sport, which makes it a highly controversial practice and led to its banning in the early 2000’s. Framed Fox Hunting Art focuses almost exclusively on the first centuries after foxhunting was introduced.

Well before it was adopted in Great Britain, foxhunting was embraced by Romans and ancient Greeks and it was introduced to the British islands by Normans. Right from the start, hunters realized the importance of using hounds for finding and tracking foxes, so it comes as no surprise that so many Framed Fox Hunting Art feature dogs as well. For centuries foxhunting was a favorite activity for aristocrats, but as shotguns became available and widespread virtually anyone could engage in this activity with a minimum investment and a high rate of success.