English Victorian Hunting Oil Painting “Game Dogs” – Robert Cleminson (1864–1903) Gilt Framed

Details

Description

ictorian Sporting Oil Painting “Game Dogs” – Robert Cleminson (1864–1903)
A richly atmospheric late 19th-century English sporting oil painting by … Read more ictorian Sporting Oil Painting “Game Dogs” – Robert Cleminson (1864–1903)
A richly atmospheric late 19th-century English sporting oil painting by listed British artist Robert Cleminson (1864–1903). Painted in oil on canvas laid on board, this characterful work dates to circa 1890 and captures two game dogs guarding the day’s quarry in a romantic Highland setting – a classic subject for collectors of Victorian sporting art, dog paintings and traditional country house interiors.

The Scene
Set in the Scottish Highlands beneath a soft, diffused sky, the composition draws the eye to the foreground where two hunting dogs rest on a patch of green grass:
A white and brown dog lies in near frontal profile, relaxed and content after a successful day’s shooting.
A black dog stands beside it in side profile, more alert, turning its head as if listening for the return of its master.
To the right, substantial stone boulders anchor the scene. Resting against them is a large wicker basket filled with game birds, their bodies hanging over the rim to display the success of the day’s sport. Beyond, the landscape rises toward distant Highland hills painted in muted greens, browns and greys, suggesting heather, rock and distance.
Cleminson’s brushwork is confident and varied: the dogs’ coats are built up with short, textured strokes that describe their anatomy and character; the birds’ plumage is handled with softer, feathery touches; and the damp Highland ground is evoked with layered greens and earth tones. The warm browns, blacks and whites of the animals are balanced by the golden tones of the basket and game, and the cooler greens and blues of the landscape. Gentle, late-afternoon-style lighting picks out the dogs and basket, typical of good Victorian sporting painting and lending the work a calm, reflective atmosphere.

About the Artist
Robert Cleminson (1864–1903) was a British painter in oils, best known for landscapes, Highland game scenes and animal subjects, particularly sporting dogs and game. His work appealed strongly to Victorian patrons who loved field sports and rural life.
He exhibited ten works at the British Institution in London and further paintings at the Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street. His work remains sought after in the UK and USA, with an auction record of around $16,470 USD for The Tiger Hunt (Bonhams Knightsbridge, 2018), underscoring enduring demand for his stronger pieces and for quality Victorian animal and sporting art in general.

The present painting is signed “Robert Cleminson” in the lower left, in a form consistent with other known works by the artist.

Historical & Decorative Appeal
This is a textbook example of Victorian British sporting art, a genre that both documents and celebrates field sports, game shooting and country house life. Paintings of this type originally hung in country houses, shooting lodges and gentlemen’s clubs, conveying their owners’ taste, status and connection to the sporting world.
It also sits firmly within the 19th-century tradition of animal portraiture, in which dogs were elevated as admired companions and symbols of loyalty, refinement and sporting prowess. The romantic Highland setting echoes the Victorian fascination with Scotland as a landscape of grandeur, sport and rugged natural beauty.

Today, this work brings an instant sense of history, tradition and atmosphere to interiors – ideal for:

A library, study or office
A country house or lodge-style sitting room
A statement over a fireplace, console or sideboard
Original Gilt Frame
The painting is housed in its original late Victorian gilt wood frame, an important and desirable survival:
Substantial and impressive, approx. 8 kg unwrapped
Rich moulded floral and foliate gesso decoration typical of the period
Fitted with a front protective glass cover, which has helped shield the painted surface over time
Boarded verso, with a hanging cord so it is ready to hang
The original frame adds significantly to the painting’s period character and makes it a strong decorative focal point on the wall.
Dimensions
Framed size: approx. 56.5 cm H x 66 cm W x 9 cm D
(approx. 22.25" H x 26" W x 3.5" D)
A very good medium-sized statement piece: large enough to hold a wall on its own, but still easy to place above a mantel, sideboard or within a gallery wall in a traditional scheme.
Provenance
A clear and well-documented ownership history, attractive for collectors:
Originally in a private UK collection, acquired in the late 19th or early 20th century, thence by descent or subsequent UK ownership.
Bamfords Auctioneers & Valuers, Derby, Interiors & Collectors sale, 2 December 2020, lot 1019, and again 13 January 2021, lot 196 (auction labels from Bamfords remain affixed verso).
Acquired by Cheshire Antiques Consultant, UK (dealer) and offered between 2021–2024 on established online fine art and antiques platforms.
Later consigned to NY Elizabeth, Beverly Hills, California, and offered in online auctions through LiveAuctioneers during 2023–2024, catalogued as “Game Dogs” Oil Painting, signed Robert Cleminson, with records preserved via Barnebys and MutualArt.
Returned to / retained by Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD, from whom it is now offered.
This chain of ownership, supported by labels verso and online sale records, gives the painting excellent provenance.
Condition
The painting is in good, honest antique condition, reflecting its age and history:
Frame:
Original gilt frame with visible wear and losses to gilding, rubbing on raised areas and typical age-related chips and cracks to the gesso decoration.
Scuffs and small losses throughout, all entirely consistent with a 19th-century gilt frame and contributing to its authentic antique character.
Painting:
Areas of foxing and staining visible on closer inspection.
Some craquelure (fine age-related surface cracking) across the painted surface, entirely normal for a work of this date.
To the naked eye at normal viewing distance, the paint surface appears generally stable with no obvious large areas of intrusive overpaint or heavy modern restoration.
Overall, the painting presents very well on the wall, with a rich, original patina. Many collectors prefer this sort of honest, time-worn appearance to examples that have been heavily restored or stripped of their original frame.
Shipping
The painting will be professionally packed and fully insured for shipment, ensuring safe delivery to your home.
A superb opportunity to acquire a named Victorian sporting painting with original frame and strong provenance, ready to hang and enjoy in a refined traditional or country house interior. See less