Edwin Landseer was primarily a painter of animals. Here, the artist poses with two dogs looming over his shoulders. The dog on the right is thought to be Landseer's own collie and studio companion, Lassie, while the dog on the left has been identified as a retriever called Myrtle, owned by one of his patrons. The painting pokes fun at the connoisseur, Landseer suggesting that dogs can recognise fine art as competently as humans.

Cat. 84