1877 Antique Print of Edwin Landseer The Dog and Shadow

Title: The Dog and the Shadow

Date: November 1877

Color: Black and White

Medium: Steel Plate Engraving

Dimension: image (19 x 24 cm or 7 1/2 x 9 7168 inch), paper (24.7 x 32 cm or 9 3/4 x 12 5/8 inch)

Credits: Sir E Landseer [artist], C Cousen [engraver], Virtue and Co [London] and D Appleton & Co [New York] [publishers], from The Art Journal  [1877]

Condition:  This print is in excellent plus condition [i.e., strong paper, clear image, original wide margins, no bend, no tear, and very slight age toning]. It was printed on high quality heavy paper with a blank verso. With original tissue guard still attached, the print is nearly flawless in every aspect with no apology.

Description:

     The Art Journal [1839 – 1912] was a leading British Monthly Periodical focused primarily on contemporary arts of many forms. In addition to commentaries, events, and news, it also featured artworks of leading artists of its time. Among numerous prints published in this magazine, the best specimens and of the highest quality were its extremely detailed and finely done steel plate engravings [only a few were issued per month].

     Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873) was a well-known British artist much admired for his sentimental paintings of animals [dog in particular]. This print entitled The Dog and the Shadow [engraved by C Cousen] was after one of his early painting done in 1820s and published in the November issue of the Art Journal in 1877. The composition [large area  of landscape] is quite unusual of his style.  The shoes and cap lying on the left suggested who the dog was looking at.