Alfred William Strutt Animal Paintings

Alfred William Strutt was born in Taranaki, New Zealand, the son of the English artist William Strutt. His grandfather was the miniaturist William Thomas Strutt (1777–1850) and his great-grandfather was Joseph Strutt (1742–1802), a social historian and artist. His father had moved to Australia in 1850 and then to New Zealand in 1855, where he recorded the early days of the British colony. Strutt and his family returned to England in 1862. He studied at the Royal College of Art but also received tuition from his father. Strutt exhibited at the Royal Academy of Arts from 1877 and was elected in 1889. Like his father, he specialized in genre scenes, often including animals as well as sporting scenes. Strutt’s paintings are well executed and full of humor. A photograph of him by Disdéri (circa 1880) is held by the National Portrait Gallery. Examples of his work can be found at the Grundy Art Gallery, Hastings Museum, Nuneaton Museum & Art Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.