Portrait of a Hound within a Landscape

This bucolic representation of the English countryside, animated by a hunting scene in the foreground, is characteristic of the tradition for sporting pictures that developed in Brit...

This powerful hunting scene is closely associated to the work of Antwerp-born seventeenth century painter and draughtsman Frans Snyders, widely considered the “progenitor of Flemish Baroque still-life and animal painting.” Having grown up surrounded by artists, Snyders was initially apprenticed to Pieter Brueghel the Younger (1564-1637/38), scion of a well-established family of painters. Like many of his contemporaries in Northern Europe, to complete his education he then travelled to Italy, staying mainly in Rome and Milan (1608-09). Once back in Flanders, his profile as a skilled young painter – who had refined his craft by studying the masters of Italian art – came to the attention of Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), in whose Antwerp studio Snyders entered as an assistant in about 1610, and with whom he would go on to collaborate on a number of important commissions for years to come. In 1611, Snyders further strengthened his ties with the local community of painters by marrying Margaretha de Vos, sister to Cornelis and Paul de Vos, two artists with whom he would also regularly collaborate. Thanks to the lessons learned in Italy and in Rubens’ studio, Snyders soon achieved the ability to create rhythmic and dynamic compositions, infused with vibrant colours and powerful naturalistic effects. Centred on the theme of the still life, his market scenes and representations of richly stocked pantries and larders embodied the buoyant and confident spirit of seventeenth-century Antwerp, a trading port with a wealthy merchant class and aristocracy (Still Life with Dead Game, Fruits, and Vegetables in a Market, 1614, The Art Institute of Chicago; Still-Life with Fowl and Game, 1614, Wallraf-Richartz Museum, Cologne). Flowers from all seasons and dead game are portrayed alongside baskets overflowing with fruit, precious gilt vessels and Chinese Wanli porcelain...

A mid 17th century large scale oil on canvas depicting a Leopardess, a Lioness and a Wolf toying with a Dead Hare in an Arcadian landscape; in the style of the Dutch Golden Age ‘Animaliers’ and the circle of Frans Snijders. Large canvases of hunting scenes, often featuring exotic animals such as leopards and lions, were initially popularised by the celebrated painter and diplomat Sir Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640), and rapidly became a fixture of seventeenth-century patrician residences across Europe. They were heirs to the Renaissance tradition of tapestries representing hunts, which had long been a form of princely decoration, but had typically required much greater expenditures of time and money. A monumental Wolf and Fox Hunt painted by Rubens in about 1616 – now in New York’s Metropolitan Museum – is considered one of the master’s earliest forays into this genre (fig. 1), alongside a set of four large hunting scenes originally executed for Elector Maximilian of Bavaria (c. 1616), featuring a Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt (Alte Pinakothek, Munich); a Wild Boar Hunt (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Marseilles); a Tiger Hunt (Musée des Beaux-Arts, Rennes); and a Lion Hunt destroyed by fire in Bordeaux in 1870. This type of composition – with its energetic treatment of the subject, its references to exotic and powerful beasts and its vibrant atmosphere – immediately appealed to patrons and was enthusiastically embraced by artists both within and outside Rubens’ immediate circle. Among the former were fellow Flemish painters Frans Snyders (1579-1657) and his brother-in-law Paul de Vos (c. 1591-1678), each of whom collaborated with Rubens on important commissions, while also pursuing the genre of hunting scenes as part of their respective studio practices. Indeed, both are now predominantly remembered for their dynamic representations of hunts, which – differently to Rubens’ – chiefly focus on the animals, without the presence of human figures. This characteristic is shared by the present composition, which highlights the interaction between the beasts themselves, their feral nature and proximity enhancing the scene’s dramatic undercurrent. The wolf on the left, baring its teeth to defend its prey, is carefully observed, including its blood-shot eyes, salivating mouth, and thick fur, which all find parallels in compositions by Rubens and his circle (fig. 2). Similarly, the lioness emerging from behind a tree trunk in the background is a citation from a famous composition by Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder...

The son of a heraldic painter, Edmund Bristow was born in Berkshire in 1787 ( (1 Apr 1787 – 12 Feb 1876), and lived all his life locally in Eton, after having attended school in near...

Antique 19th century English oil on canvas hunting dog portrait painting with black and giltwood frame. Dimensions including frame: 43 x 38 x 8cm.

An English oil on canvas hunting dog painting from the late 18th century in carved giltwood frame. Elevate your art collection with this captivating English oil on canvas painting from the late 18th century. Depicting a scene of two hunting dogs gracefully running through the rolling hills, this artwork exudes a sense of energy and movement. The overcast sky adds a touch of drama, enhancing the overall atmosphere of the painting. Presented in a carved giltwood frame, this piece showcases a horizontal format that perfectly complements the composition. The carved details of the frame further enhance the visual appeal of the artwork, adding an element of elegance and sophistication. The painting is wired in the back, making it conveniently ready to be hung in your preferred space. Whether displayed in a living room, study, or gallery, this English hunting dog...

A brown dog portrait in a wooden frame. - Oil on canvas, signed indistinguishably lower right, "B......" - Framed dimensions : 17.25 in x 21.5 in

This exquisite early 19th-century English portrait of a gun dog or foxhound by Thomas Weaver is a masterpiece of sporting art that offers both historical...