Sir Alfred James Munnings was born 8 October 1878 at Mendham, Suffolk. As a young boy, he was apprenticed to a Norwich printer, designing and drawing advertising posters for the next six years whilst attending the Norwich School of Art in his spare time. When his apprenticeship ended, he became a full-time painter. However, loss of sight in his right eye in 1898 did not deflect his determination to paint, and in 1899 two of his pictures were shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Munnings became best known for his equine painting and often depicted horses involving hunting and racing. His colourful scenes have retained public popularity despite changes in artistic fashion.
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