Fine Art M.S. Rau | Concours De Chiens Au Promenade By Otto Eerelman

Otto Eerelman
1839-1926 | Dutch

Concours De Chiens Au Promenade

Watercolor On Paper
Signed “O. Eerelman 1904” (Lower Left)

A Tour De Force Watercolor By Celebrated Dutch Artist Otto Eerelman, One Of 19Th-Century Europe’S Most Popular And Important Animal Portraitists, This Charming Composition Captures A Bustling Cross-Section Of Fashionable Elites Walking Their Equally Fashionable Canine Companions. Eerleman Takes Care To Render The Detailed Attire Of His Subjects, Complete With Plumed Hats And Layers Of Lace Trim. The Artist Paints The Plethora Of Pets In Equally Painstaking Detail, Capturing The Nuances Of Each Different Breed Represented.

Eerelman Mastered The Art Of Depicting Not Only The Dogs’ Physical Characteristics But Also Their Unique Expressions And Personalities. His Wealthy Clientele Would Bring Their Pets To His Home In The Hague Where They Would Live For A Period Of Time While Having Their Portraits Done, Allowing For A Remarkably True-To-Life Portrayal. This Energetic Watercolor, With Its Profusion Of Color And Texture, Harnesses The Affluence Of Its Subjects And The Leisurely Whimsy Of Their Luxurious Lives.

Hailing From Groningen, Netherlands, Eerelman Was Dubbed The “Northern Rembrandt” During His Lifetime. He Received His Artistic Training At The Academy Minerva In Groningen, The Royal Academy Of Fine Arts In Antwerp And Then Private Lessons In The Studio Of The Great Lawrence Alma Tadema. He Successfully Captured The Attention Of The Dutch Court, Particularly Princess Wilhelmina, With His Meticulous Approach To Endearing Subjects. His Artistic Contributions Were So Great And His Work So Valued In The Netherlands That He Was Knighted At The Age Of 80. Eerelman’S Paintings Have Long Been Coveted On The Market For Their Inherent Charm. Other Examples Of His Dog Portraits Can Be Found In The Rijksmuseum (Amsterdam), And In 2015, A Major Retrospective Of His Work Was Held At The Museum Nienoord In Leek, Netherlands.

Dated 1904

Canvas: 19 1/2″ High X 26 1/2″ Wide
Frame: 28 3/4″ High X 35 3/4″ Wide

Literature:
Harry J. Kraaij, ‘Otto Eerelman 1839-1926, Groninger Kunstenaar’, Schiedam 2012, Ill. P. 107, No. 135.