Landseer.

Landseer. SIR EDWIN HENRY, an English animal-painter, son of the engraver John Landseer, A.E.R.A. (1769–1852), was born in London, 7th March 1802. He was carefully trained by his father to sketch animals from life, and began exhibiting at the Royal Academy when only thirteen; but the first work that brought him prominently before the public was 'Fighting Dogs getting Wind,' exhibited in 1818. Down to about 1823 he was content to reproduce the natural expression and character of animals; after that date his animal pieces are generally made subservient to some sentiment or idea, without, however, losing their correctness and force of draughtsmanship. Dogs and deer were his favourite and best subjects; the scene of several fine pictures is laid in the Highlands of Scotland, which he first visited in 1824. In 1826 he was elected an A.R.A., in 1830 an R.A., and in 1850 was knighted. Among his most celebrated pictures are 'The Cat's Paw,' 'The Illicit Whisky-still,' 'High Life and Low Life,' 'King Charles Spaniels,' 'Jack in Office,' 'Suspense,' 'Bolton Abbey,' 'Highland Shepherd's Chief Mourner,' 'Dignity and Impudence,' 'Peace and War,' 'Laying down the Law,' 'The Challenge,' 'The Sanctuary,' 'Monarch of the Glen,' 'Stag at Bay,' 'The Random Shot,' 'Night and Morning,' 'The Children of the Mist,' 'Deer-stalking,' 'Flood in the Highlands,' 'Man Proposes, but God disposes,' and 'Swannery invaded by Sea-eagles.' The brouze lions at the foot of Nelson's Monument in Trafalgar Square, London, were modelled by him. Landseer was elected president of the Royal Academy in 1866, but declined the honour. The last dozen years of his life were clouded by much mental suffering, and he died October 1, 1873. He is buried in St Paul's. Most of Landseer's best pictures are well known from the excellent engravings of them done by his elder brother THOMAS (1796–1880). Another brother, CHARLES (1799–1879), was a painter of historical scenes. See Landseer by F. G. Stephens (1880), and Loftie's Landseer and Animal Painting (1891).