We offer for sale a really wonderful piece of Victorian folk art, a painting of a dog standing on a chair looking out the window in great anticipation. We’ve taken the liberty of calling it “Waiting for Her Mistress” as it so aptly describes the scene. This oil on board came from Portland, Maine, circa 1880s (see below). PAINTING SUBJECT & SCENE. We are not art experts or historians but will share our conclusions about this unsigned piece of domestic genre art. The subject is charming, colorful, expressive, and well detailed in a feminine style so likely the artist was a lady of means, a gifted amateur. Women were more likely than men not to sign their works. The curtains are lace, the walls papered with a leaf pattern, the carpeting covered with repeating flowers, the green velvet ottoman fully braided, all carefully detailed. The Victorian parlor chair features small wheels in front and an ornate crest rail with ears. On the windowsill sits a slim vase holding flowers. The dog is likely a Toy Manchester Terrier, a popular breed at the time when ears and tail were not to be cropped. Bright light better shows the dog’s tan snout. The dog is female and has a cute collar with a big red bow. THE PAINTING AND FRAME. Oil on board, with a period label on the back. Of Portand, Maine, was a popular drugstore that expanded into other provisions including artists’ supplies. The original frame is of intricately detailed plaster with shiny gold paint. It shows its age with normal cracks and occasional small pieces lacking. 23″ wide by 24-3/4″ high by 2-1/4 deep. 16-1/2″ wide by 18-1/4″ high. Weighs nearly 8 pounds unpacked. A painting that’s 130 years old will have some issues, but overall this one is in very good condition with no serious damage. There is some normal crackling and a few missing tiny flakes, and a very small section of one chair leg looks like it might have been retouched in the past. There is wear around the edges where the board touches the frame. A new frame would cover that up. The board is no longer totally flat but it’s not obvious or detracting and won’t affect reframing. It could use cleaning to brighten up the colors that have normal darkening with age. This painting has so much appeal. It tells a story — use your imagination! Please see photos for details. WITH OR WITHOUT FRAME. Please wait for an invoice before paying. Thank you for viewing. We want happy customers so please ask any questions beforehand. We give feedback when we receive feedback. PLEASE DO NOT PAY UNTIL INVOICED. Loup Garou Books & Antiques. The item “Toy Manchester Terrier OOB ca1880s, Maine, framed oil painting, dog folk art” is in sale since Wednesday, April 3, 2019. This item is in the category “Art\Paintings”. The seller is “loupgaroubooks” and is located in Micanopy, Florida. This item can be shipped to United States.
- Size: Medium (up to 36in.)
- Region of Origin: Portland, Maine
- Artist: Unknown
- Style: Primitive
- Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
- Painting Surface: Artist Board
- Medium: Oil
- Date of Creation: 1800-1899
- Features: Framed
- Width (Inches): Board 17″ W
- Subject: Animals
- Originality: Original
- Height (Inches): Board 18″ H
