Alfred Munnings was the President of the Royal Academy of Arts and specialised in painting horses.
Born in Mendham, Suffolk in 1878, Munnings' paintings were Impressionistic in style, initially depicting ponies, rural life, travelling communities and idyllic landscapes. These early works capture the British countryside before widespread industrialisation and urbanisation.
The paintings he made in France at the end of the First World War feature the likes of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade or the Canadian Forestry Corps at work, and brought him international acclaim.
His career took a new turn, as royalty, racehorse owners and hunters clamoured for portraits of themselves on horseback. While this work was profitable, the demands of his patrons placed constraints on his art.
He retired as President of the Royal Academy in 1949, and indulged himself again in painting his beloved countryside and colourful, animated pictures of racing at Newmarket. He died in Dedham, Essex on 17th July 1959.