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George Armfield19th century English portrait of a Westie and Cairn Terrier in a barnCirca 1850
Circa 1850
$6,950
£5,388.82
€6,111.71
CA$9,962.53
A$10,834.47
CHF 5,707.84
MX$131,586.73
NOK 71,759.11
SEK 67,268.37
DKK 45,884.97
About the Item
George Armfield (British, 1808–1893)
Terriers in a Barn Interior
Oil on canvas, circa 1850
Signed lower right
This spirited and characterful work by George Armfield captures two alert terriers poised within a rustic barn interior — a moment alive with anticipation and finely observed detail. Painted circa 1850, it exemplifies the charm and technical assurance that made Armfield one of the most admired animal painters of the Victorian era.
The scene depicts a pair of terriers — one white, the other darker in tone — their bodies tensed and eyes fixed upon an unseen quarry just beyond the picture plane. The dogs’ wiry coats are rendered with a remarkable delicacy of touch, each strand catching the light that filters across the straw-strewn floor. The subtle modelling of fur and the gleam in their eyes convey both vitality and intelligence, qualities that endeared such works to Victorian sportsmen and collectors alike.
Armfield’s understanding of canine anatomy and temperament was exceptional. His dogs are never mere ornaments but living, breathing creatures full of emotion and purpose. The present composition is typical of his most successful works, combining technical precision with warmth and narrative. The barn setting — rough timber, golden straw, and shadowed recesses — provides an earthy contrast to the animated energy of the terriers, whose readiness to spring conveys the timeless instincts of the hunt.
The composition demonstrates Armfield’s mastery of chiaroscuro: the dogs are bathed in a gentle natural light that emphasises their forms against a darkened backdrop, heightening drama without resorting to exaggeration. The restrained palette of russets, creams, and ochres harmonises perfectly with the aged gilt frame, which likely dates to the same period as the painting and complements its warmth and authenticity.
George Armfield was among the foremost Victorian painters of animals and hunting subjects, following in the tradition of Sir Edwin Landseer yet bringing to his work a more intimate domesticity and humour. His paintings of terriers and spaniels — creatures of loyalty and courage — were celebrated for their naturalism and spirited personality.
Terriers in a Barn Interior stands as a classic example of Armfield’s art: affectionate yet vigorous, meticulously painted yet full of life, a small masterpiece of observation and sentiment that embodies the enduring appeal of British sporting art in the mid-nineteenth century.
Framed in an amazing antique English frame
- Creator:George Armfield (1808-1893, British)
- Creation Year:Circa 1850
- Dimensions:Height: 32 in (81.28 cm)Width: 37 in (93.98 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:The painting is in perfect untouched original condition.
- Gallery Location:Woodbury, CT
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU507317134652
George Armfield
George Armfield was a British genre artist specializing in oil paintings of domesticated dogs. Armfeld professed a great love of animals, and his commissions of hounds and horses were in high demand in his lifetime. Preferring to paint hunting dogs over any other popular subject matter, Armfield’s broad, lively brush strokes captured the earthy colors of fur and grasses. Born George Armfield Smith in Wales in 1808, he was the son of portrait painter William Armfield Hobday, from whom he learned his craft. The precocious artist began his career at the young age of 16, when he exhibited his first painting at the Royal Academy: It was of Lion, a beloved Newfoundland dog. Today, Armfield’s work is included in the collections of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool and the Glasgow Art Gallery in Glasgow, among many others. Armfield died in Clapham, England in August of 1893.
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