There is more to the English decorating style then the usual floral and white china. Along with this, people have now much appreciation for dog portraits from the Victorian Era. Cave walls with dog paintings on them date back about 15,000 to 30,000 years.
When the royal children were painted even their royal dogs were on the portrait. Not only were the dogs of Country squires part of the portraits but they were also included in the titles. Such paintings were considered part of the family record.
It was in the end of 1800 that the industry of dog portraiture was at its peak. Everyone wanted portraits of their canines, and plenty of people responded. For Great Britain there were 6 million animal painters from a population of 20 million to 30 million.
Many people still buy the paintings even if they were done by amateurs. For a fine arts consultant these were the kind of paintings that people like collecting. The breed of these pets would be mixed. Portrayals of purebreds are highly collectible, says a New York gallery owner and former director of the dog museum of America. There were a lot of paintings, prints, pastels and watercolors that encompassed this genre.
When a collector was into a type of breed the purebred portraits were what he wanted to get. Since the cavalier King Charles spaniel is a society dog many people like to get their hands on those paintings. Nothing really comes close to the price of sporting portraits then the best purebred portraits.
There are many sources of dog portraits in the market. Many dog portraits can be found in Art galleries, auction houses, private dealers and antique and thrift shops. If you search in flea markets and garage sales chances are you will not find any dog portraits.
One good advice is to get more information first before purchasing a certain piece. When you plan to buy a piece on a certain breed always make sure you read books like the early 19th century breed books for more information.
In auctions, your research will really be of good use. Normally, buys are left on their own as there is now assurance on the authenticity of the piece. Many times, dealers will always have proof of authenticity for a buyer. Just as well always remember that you also need to do your own research.
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Obtain further advice on dog paintings and the subject of paintings.Further education on the subject of paintings can be found at oil painting animals .