Animal painting “Pinscher Dog” JF Van Ouwerkerk De Vries (1857 – 1891)

Animal oil painting on canvas applied to cardboard, signed and dated 1882, depicting a recently established Pinscher dog, a breed originally from Germany. (1879) The painting is in a good state of conservation, on the back it has an original label, with ink annotations, while on the front in addition to the signature (bottom right), at the top we can see some writing, perhaps a dedication or the name of the dog protagonist of the work. The frame is contemporary gilded in Mecca.

Johan Frederick Brumund Van Ouwerkerk de Vries, is an animal artist of Dutch origin, lived and worked in Amsterdam until 1880, specialized in equestrian portraiture, passionate breeder and connoisseur of dogs.

Exhibited in various personal and collective exhibitions maintaining a realistic style, animal painting represents for him a way to translate all the skills related to breeds onto canvas, in some cases the works are a testimony of the various changes that occurred in breed standards.

Amsterdam 1881 – 1882 – 1883

Rotterdam 1882 – 1888 – 1891

Hague 1887

Groningen 1886

Maastricht 1890

The Pinscher dog breed is very widespread and appreciated as a companion, some consider it a miniature Dobermann although there is no connection between the two breeds other than a similarity in the colors of the coat. Aesthetically, the Pinscher is very elegant, slender and well-proportioned, with outlined musculature which gives it a powerful structure even if in miniature mode. The head is outlined with a pointed muzzle, alert ears and a lively and attentive expression, synonymous with a strong and stubborn temperament. The coat is smooth, short and has a shine that transforms it into a very chic dog, the colors vary from perforated black to dark fawn. Since the second half of the 19th century, the breed has often been depicted as a companion dog, placed in high society contexts and often in the presence of children. Due to its small size and liveliness it was an excellent playmate.