{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O16452"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O16452/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT0993/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006AT0993/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006AT0993","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AM5639","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2017KC9334","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O16452/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O16452","accessionNumber":"FA.93[O]","objectType":"Oil painting","titles":[{"title":"The Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner","type":"popular title"}],"summaryDescription":"<b>Object Type</b><br>Oil paintings with sentimental scenes of animals became popular with collectors such as John Sheepshanks and the Rev. Chauncy Hare Townshend, as well as with the Victorian public in general.<br><br><b>Subjects Depicted</b><br>Landseer's choice of subject illustrates the Victorian obsession with the trappings of death, combined here with his speciality, the accurate and almost anthropomorphic representation of dogs and other animals. Its  mixture of pathos and realism appealed to all sections of society, and the critic Ruskin praised the fine technique and the subtle choice of details. This painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1837 and proved a great success, particularly as an engraving after this picture was published and sold widely in the following year.<br><br><b>People</b><br>Edwin Henry Landseer (1802-1873) was a child prodigy, exhibiting some drawings at the Royal Academy when he was only 13. From an early age he was a frequent visitor to the menagerie in Exeter Change in the Strand, London, where he drew lions, monkeys and other animals. Animals remained the main subjects of his art. Queen Victoria collected his paintings, as did John Sheepshanks. The two biggest collections of his work are in the Royal Collection and here in the Victoria and Albert Museum.","physicalDescription":"In a sparsely furnished room, a dog rests its head on the coffin of its master, the shepherd.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Landseer, Edwin Henry (Sir, RA)","id":"A8593"},"association":{"text":"painter (artist)","id":"AAT25136"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"oil paint","id":"AAT15050"},{"text":"canvas","id":"AAT14078"}],"techniques":[{"text":"oil painting","id":"AAT178684"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Oil on canvas","categories":[{"text":"Paintings","id":"THES48917"},{"text":"Death","id":"THES48970"},{"text":"British Galleries","id":"THES48985"},{"text":"Anthropomorphism","id":"THES252998"},{"text":"Images Online","id":"THES48937"}],"styles":[{"text":"British School","id":"x30967"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"PDP","id":"THES48595"},"images":["2006AT0993","2006AM5639","2017KC9334"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"122H","id":"THES49218"},"free":"","case":"WS","shelf":"","box":"16"}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"oil paintings","id":"AAT33799"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Britain","id":"x32019"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"AAT54216"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1837","earliest":"1837-01-01","latest":"1837-12-31"},"association":{"text":"painted","id":"x30138"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by John Sheepshanks, 1857","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"45.7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"61","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"7","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Height","value":"702","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"framed","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"857","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"framed","note":""},{"dimension":"Depth","value":"68","unit":"mm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"framed","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"Dimensions checked: Measured; 20/01/1999 by sf","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Given by John Sheepshanks, 1857. By Sir Edwin Henry Landseer RA (born in London, 1802, died there in 1873)\n\nExhibited at the Royal Academy 1837","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Oil painting entitled 'The Old Shepherd's Chief Mourner' by Edwin Henry Landseer.  Great Britain, 1837.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Catalogue of British Oil Paintings 1820-1860</i>, Ronald Parkinson, Victoria and Albert Museum, London: HMSO, 1990, pp. 143-44"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Richard Ormond, <u>Monarch of the Glen: Landseer in the Highlands</u>. Edinburgh: National Galleries of Scotland, 2005."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<u>100 Great Paintings in The Victoria & Albert Museum.</u> London: V&A, 1985, p.130"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Coffins","id":"AAT197585"},{"text":"shepherd","id":"AAT25617"},{"text":"dog (animal)","id":"x30186"},{"text":"death","id":"AAT151836"},{"text":"grief","id":"AAT55162"},{"text":"sadness","id":"AAT55166"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"British Galleries:\nThis scene of the sentimental devotion of a dog won praise and popularity for its famous artist, Edwin Landseer. The animals he painted display human feelings and characteristics. One of the important aims of British art of the day was to illustrate sentiment and affection in paintings.","date":{"text":"27/03/2003","earliest":"2003-03-27","latest":"2003-03-27"}}],"partNumbers":["FA.93[O]"],"accessionNumberNum":"93","accessionNumberPrefix":"FA","accessionYear":null,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":["2019LR1136","2019LR4626","2019LV6727","2019LV6094"],"recordModificationDate":"2025-04-19","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}