C# Easier way to create array of pictureboxes (48x boxes)

Project enviroment: Visual Studio 2013, using Windows Forms template.

This is what I currently have, I assume there is an easier way to create an array like this. I have tried many ways, but I do not know C# well enough yet.

   PictureBox[] boxes = {
                 runeBox1, runeBox2, runeBox3, runeBox4, runeBox5, runeBox6, runeBox7, runeBox8, 
                 runeBox9, runeBox10, runeBox11, runeBox12, runeBox13, runeBox14, runeBox15, runeBox16, 
                 runeBox17, runeBox18, runeBox19, runeBox20, runeBox21, runeBox22, runeBox23, runeBox24, 
                 runeBox25, runeBox26, runeBox27, runeBox28, runeBox29, runeBox30, runeBox31, runeBox32, 
                 runeBox33, runeBox34, runeBox35, runeBox36, runeBox37, runeBox38, runeBox39, runeBox40, 
                 runeBox41, runeBox42, runeBox43, runeBox44, runeBox45, runeBox46, runeBox47, runeBox48};

What I have tried so far is this:

string[] strArr = new string[48];
        for (int i = 1; i != 48; i++)
            {
            strArr[i] = "runebox" + i.ToString();
            }
        int count = 0;
        foreach (object p in this.Controls)
            {
            if (p.GetType() == typeof(PictureBox))
                {
                if (((PictureBox)p).Name == strArr[count])
                    {
                    boxes[count] = ((PictureBox)p);
                    count++;
                    }
                }
            }

This compiles, but it gives a nullpointer exception in the array boxes.

I have also attempted a typeconverter, but this gave me no results as well.

Hopefully some of you clever ones can tell me the road to Rome.