Edwin Landseer

Edwin Landseer (Edwin Henry Landseer; 1802 – 1873) was a distinguished artist and animalier from England, UK. He was particularly known for his paintings of animals, notably horses, dogs, and stags. His art style was unique during the Victorian era as his animal paintings often carried a moral dimension. Landseer was part of the Animalier movement, a 19th-century art movement where artists specialised in the realistic portrayal of animals. His technique was based on a sound understanding of animal anatomy, which he acquired through dissections. This knowledge enabled him to depict animals with remarkable accuracy and liveliness. His works were not limited to paintings; he was also a skilled sculptor, with his most famous sculptures being the lions at the base of Nelson's Column in Trafalgar Square. Despite his fame and success, Landseer's later works were criticised for their sentimentality, which some felt was a result of excessive anthropomorphism.