Alfred Duke (British 1836-1915) 'Terrier and her pups' Oil on canvas 21 x 18 ins (framed size)

The Victorian era was an age of dog portraits, made popular by Queen Victoria. The obsession of the ruling classes with field sports led to a demand for artists such as Alfred Duke who was one of a band of painters celebrating sporting dogs. The fine art painter Duke was highly skilled in his execution of animal paintings, and, as is evident in this listing, he clearly held great affection for the animals he painted. 

Born in Lancashire around 1863 Alfred Duke spent most of his life in Manchester and exhibited regularly at the Manchester City Art Gallery. He also exhibited at the Royal Society of Artists, Birmingham and the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool. He was influenced by his contemporaries such as Thomas Blinks and George Derville Rowlandson. Duke’s works are beautifully painted and show an excellent understanding of the animation and movement of dogs.