Collection: Edwin Landseer

Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (1802–1873) was an English painter and sculptor of the Romantic period. Born in London, he trained under his father, the engraver John Landseer, and first exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1815. His early works focused on animal subjects, including horses, dogs, and stags.

Landseer’s paintings combined precise anatomical detail with expressive portrayals of animals. His compositions included Highland landscapes, as in "A Highland Breakfast" (c. 1834), and scenes from literature, such as "Sancho Panza and Dapple" (1824). The bronze lion sculptures at the base of Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square (1867) became his most widely recognized public work, blending naturalistic observation with large-scale sculpture.

Landseer’s influence extended to printmaking; his engravings, produced with his brother Thomas Landseer, circulated his animal studies to a broad audience. His technical skill and attention to animal behavior influenced later naturalist and realist depictions of wildlife.