The Home Beautiful: “Dot and Cairnach, Skye Terriers” by Otto Weber, 1874

Dot and Cairnach, Skye Terriers
Otto Weber, 1874
The Royal Collection

Royal Academician Otto Weber was appointed portrait painter to The Royal Family in the 1870’s by Queen Victoria. Being as Victoria considered the royal pets to be as much a part of the family as anyone else, she commissioned Weber to paint portraits of her dogs, too.

This 1874 portrait shows two Skye Terriers who lived amongst the other dogs in the royal household. Known as Dot and Cairnach, these spirited companions were known to frolic through the corridors in typical terrier fashion. This wasn’t Cairnach’s first time posing for a portrait. He had previously been painted by Sir Edwin Landseer on several occasions and served as a great source of inspiration for the artist who used the terrier’s visage in quite a few masterpieces.

Curiously, another of Landseer's portraits is of a dog also called Cairnach.  This one dates to 1842.  This handsome pup, who was honored later by the name given to the Skye, was a Maltese Terrier.    The 1842 portrait roundel was a Christmas gift to Queen Victoria from Prince Albert.

Cairnach
Sir Edwin Landseer, 1842
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

The Home Beautiful: “Dot and Cairnach, Skye Terriers” by Otto Weber, 1874

Dot and Cairnach, Skye Terriers
Otto Weber, 1874
The Royal Collection

Royal Academician Otto Weber was appointed portrait painter to The Royal Family in the 1870’s by Queen Victoria. Being as Victoria considered the royal pets to be as much a part of the family as anyone else, she commissioned Weber to paint portraits of her dogs, too.

This 1874 portrait shows two Skye Terriers who lived amongst the other dogs in the royal household. Known as Dot and Cairnach, these spirited companions were known to frolic through the corridors in typical terrier fashion. This wasn’t Cairnach’s first time posing for a portrait. He had previously been painted by Sir Edwin Landseer on several occasions and served as a great source of inspiration for the artist who used the terrier’s visage in quite a few masterpieces.

Curiously, another of Landseer's portraits is of a dog also called Cairnach.  This one dates to 1842.  This handsome pup, who was honored later by the name given to the Skye, was a Maltese Terrier.    The 1842 portrait roundel was a Christmas gift to Queen Victoria from Prince Albert.

Cairnach
Sir Edwin Landseer, 1842
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

Object of the Day: An Engraving by Charles Landseer, 1845

Though never achieving the huge fame of his brother, Edwin Landseer, Charles Landseer (1799-1879) possessed an enormous talent and attained the respect of his peers with his epic historical paintings. Charles was named Keeper of the Royal Academy Schools in 1851. One of his most famous works was the painting of Charles I, On the Eve of the Battle of Edgehill, 1642.

For this painting, Charles asked his famous brother, Edwin, to paint the dogs in the scene. Edwin, known for his stunning paintings of animals, was happy to oblige. This collaboration on their part caused some controversy. In 1861, the two dogs were cut from the canvas and sold as individual works of art attributed to Edwin Landseer—leaving the painting terribly damaged. Legend has it, that eleven years later, the two dogs were replicated by an unknown artist and restored to the canvas which was then sold at auction.

The original, Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

This 1845 engraving of the painting was crafted under the direction of Charles Landseer himself. A crisp representation of the original, engravings such as this are our only indication of what the painting would have looked like before being cut. With its ominous sky and exquisite detail, we have the sense of being present in the tense moment just before the Battle of Edgehill. Landseer was clever to add a domestic feeling to the painting by adding representations of townspeople in the scene. These gentle faces set against the stoniness of the king show the effects of war on the population. Just as talented as his brother, Charles Landseer deserves to be remembered for his sensitive portrayals of important world events. The moments that he replicates shaped the world as we know it today.