The New Student's Reference Work/Landseer, Sir Edwin Henry

Land′seer, Sir Edwin Henry, an English animal painter, son of an engraver, was born at London, March 7, 1802.  He was carefully trained by his father to sketch animals from life, and began exhibiting at the Academy at 13, but the first work to bring him into prominence was Fighting Dogs Getting Wind.  After 1823 he painted The Cat’s Paw, High Life and Low Life, King Charles’ Spaniels, Suspense, Jack in Office, The Challenge, The Monarch of the Glen, The Stag at Bay and others.  He was knighted in 1850.  In 1866 he was elected president of the Royal Academy, but declined the honor.  He died after much mental suffering, Oct. 1, 1873, and was buried in St. Paul’s, London.  See Sir Edwin H. Landseer by F. G. Stephens in the Great Artists Series, 1889.