Believed to have been executed in the 1930s, the current painting is one of Simpson's major pieces and a significant example of early twentieth-century equestrian art, demonstrating a mastery of the genre comparable to that of Alfred Munnings.
Simpson was a leading exponent of early twentieth-century British art on the cusp of modernism, belonging to the same Newlyn School artists' colony as Lamorna Birch, Dod Procter and Laura Knight. His work can be found in major collections; his monumental canvas depicting duck shooting, on permanent display at the Russell-Cotes Gallery, is perhaps the most notable example in the Dorset region.
The subject of the current painting is equally fascinating. Julien Cahn was a highly successful - if somewhat eccentric - businessman who, among other achievements, facilitated the rescue of Newstead Abbey, the former ancestral home of Lord Byron. He lived at Stanford Hall in Nottinghamshire, where he installed pools for sea lions and penguins, in addition to a large theatre. He was equally passionate about sports, including cricket and, as demonstrated here, partaking in fox hunting as a Master of Foxhounds.
