Portrait Of A Japanese Dog

Studio of Frances C. FAIRMAN (1836–1923)

Portrait of a Japanese Chin

Dated 18 December 1892

Oil on canvas

Illegible signature lower right.

This portrait depicts a Japanese Chin against a yellow background decorated with floral motifs and scrollwork.

Frances Caroline Fairman (1836–1923) received part of her artistic training in Paris before pursuing her career in England. She specialised in canine portraiture and established a reputation that earned her the nickname “The Lady Landseer”, in reference to Sir Edwin Landseer, the renowned 19th-century British animal painter.

She worked notably for the British royal family, painting portraits of the dogs belonging to Queen Victoria and Queen Alexandra. Her clientele also included members of the British aristocracy, who commissioned portraits of their pets.

Japanese Chins feature among her works. Queen Alexandra owned several dogs of this breed, some of which had been presented to her by the Emperor of Japan. Fairman painted portraits of Togo and Haru, two dogs belonging to the Queen.

This dog portrait belongs to the artistic tradition of Frances C. Fairman’s studio and may have been executed either by the artist herself or by one of her pupils