Important British c.1898 Victorian Oil Portrait of a Rough Collie Dog After John Emms Gilt Framed

Details

Description

Important C.1898 Victorian Oil Portrait of a Rough Collie After John Emms by
John Trivett Nettleship (British, 1841–1902)
Signed and … Read more Important C.1898 Victorian Oil Portrait of a Rough Collie After John Emms by
John Trivett Nettleship (British, 1841–1902)
Signed and dated 1898
A characterful late 19th-century portrait of a cherished Rough (Scottish) Collie, standing proudly in left profile within an open landscape. Nettleship captures the breed’s refined head, rich sable-and-white coat, and alert yet gentle expression with the seriousness of a formal sitter portrait—conveying both a much-loved companion and a fine pedigree animal.
Subject and Medium
Medium: Oil on canvas
Nettleship uses the traditional Victorian medium to build depth in the coat, subtle tonal transitions, and atmosphere in the setting.
Composition and Technique
The collie dominates the foreground, positioned slightly forward and off-centre, with the landscape receding behind. The effect is strikingly “portrait-like” in its dignity and presence. The head and neck are rendered with particular refinement: a clean line to the muzzle, a finely articulated almond-shaped eye, and correctly “tipped” ears suggesting attentive intelligence. Brushwork becomes more animated through the ruff and mane to describe thickness and direction of the coat, then softens down the body and legs.
Colour is handled with a sensitive Victorian palette: deep sable browns and warmer golden notes are balanced by crisp whites at the collar and chest, set against a broadly painted landscape of softened greens, ochres, and blue-greys so nothing competes with the sitter. Gentle frontal light catches the muzzle ridge, chest and upper back, giving the dog a convincing three-dimensional presence.
Artist
John Trivett Nettleship was a noted British animal painter, celebrated for dramatic depictions of lions, tigers and other wild creatures, and for exhibiting extensively at major London venues including the Royal Academy. While best known for powerful wild-animal subjects, finished portraits of domesticated dogs appear more rarely within his oeuvre—making this signed and dated collie portrait an unusually intimate and appealing example of his work.
Signature
Signed and dated in the lower corner:
“J. T. Nettleship 1898”
The clear signature and date place the work securely in the artist’s mature late-Victorian period.
Historical Interest
This portrait offers more than decorative appeal:
A rare domestic commission by an artist renowned for major wild-animal paintings.
A late-Victorian record of the Rough Collie at a formative moment in the breed’s cultural rise—when pedigree dogs, kennel clubs and formal portrait commissions flourished.
Strong modern provenance through auction cataloguing enhances its scholarly and collector appeal.
Dimensions (Framed)
Height: 66 cm
Width: 81 cm
Depth: 5 cm
A pleasing interior scale—substantial above a fireplace, console, or sofa, yet easy to place in a study, library, or reception room.
Frame
Presented in a recently fitted Larson-Juhl gilt moulded decorative frame, well chosen for the warm browns and creams of the coat and the soft landscape tones. Hanging thread to verso, ready to display.
Provenance
Painted and signed by John Trivett Nettleship, 1898
Private Collection
Anonymous sale, Christie’s, London, 12 November 1971, lot 191
Private Collection, Germany (later 20th century)
Auktionshaus Eppli, Stuttgart, 25 March 2023 (catalogued as Collie in front of landscape)
Roseberys, London, 22 November 2023 (catalogued as Portrait of a Border Collie in a landscape)
Subsequent online auction, 5 April 2024 (as Portrait of a Scottish Rough Border Collie Dog)
Cheshire Antiques Consultant LTD, United Kingdom – present collection

Why This Works on Chairish
A true focal-point painting with immediate decorative impact.
Ideal for dog and collie lovers: the sitter reads as an individual—intelligent, loyal, and quietly proud.
Sophisticated warm palette that complements wood, leather, stone, and neutral interiors, from traditional to transitional settings.
Not merely a “dog picture,” but a signed 1898 work by a recognised British animal painter, with documented provenance through major auction houses. See less