George Armfield On Sale

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.

Animal paintings depict the beauty and power of nature in an elegant way that can complement any room. Interacting with animals has long captured the imagination and has been interpreted in diverse artistic media.

Some of the oldest works of art have included animals, such as a cave painting found in Indonesia dating back more than 45,500 years that shows a wild pig in red ocher pigment. Animals have continued to appear in every era and style of art, from realism to Pop art and everything in between.

Some paintings portray animals in their natural habitat, highlighting the majesty of wild creatures roaming the plains, forests and jungles. These paintings often feature deer, tigers, wild mustangs and other wildlife. Others focus on domestic animals such as dogs — pay a visit to the Museum of the Dog if you don’t believe us — as well as cats and how they interact with the world and their owners.

Picking the right animal painting for a room — as well as knowing how to arrange your new wall art — can take time. But, in the end, it will tastefully reflect your interests and passions. While an expansive landscape painting helps open up a small space, hanging a horse painting in a den shows a love for equine culture and can invite interesting conversation.

There is animal art to fit every collection on 1stDibs. Explore a wide selection of animal paintings and animal prints in a range of styles and designs to match any home or office.