The Strand Magazine - Vol.1 - No. 4 - April 1891
A PICTURE-LETTER.
By Sir Edwin Landseer.
Pictures with Histories.
(Continued.)
The frontispiece we are enabled to give this month is penned inwhat may be termed pictorial hieroglyphics by Sir Edwin Landseer. Theletter was addressed to Charles George Lewis, the celebrated engraver.The first house represented is Lewis's residence in Charlotte-street,whilst the final sketch is a very correct drawing of the artist's housein St. John's Wood-road. It remains just in the same state to-day, andis occupied by Mr. H. W. B. Davis, R.A. This delightfully originalmissive reads—evidently in response to an invitation:—
WOBURN ABBEY. 1826
A SPORTSMAN'S CARD, BY SIR EDWIN LANDSEER.
"Dear Charles,—I shall be delightedto come to your house, also Maria, William,and Henry.—Yours, Neddy Landseer."
The only other occasion on which Landseer departed from his usualroutine of work seems to have been when he was on a visit to theDuke of Bedford at Woburn Abbey, in December, 1826, at which timethe artist was in his twenty-third year. He set himself to sketch acouple of sportsman's cards, of which we give the one considered themost picturesque, and best calculated to show the great painter'sversatility and ingenuity. The writing is that of the Duke of Bedford,and, to judge by the number of hares, rabbits, and pheasants bagged,sport at Woburn Abbey during this particular week must have been fairlybrisk. There is no question as to the genuine nature of this veritablecuriosity, for on the back of it is written the signature—in inkalmost faded—of Lady Georgiana Russell.
From our remarks in the previous chapter on "Pictures withHistories," it will be readily gathered that behind nearly everycanvas which Landseer touched some happy incident lies hidden away.His magnificent work, "A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society,"was suggested to him by seeing the noble creature which figures in thepicture carrying a basket of flowers in its mouth.
"Lion"—a picture he painted for Mr. W. H. Merle for£50—has its story to tell. Landseer particularly wished to seethe dog—Lion—excited. There chanced to be in the house alive mouse in a trap. The mouse was let loose, Lion gave chase, andthe next instant the mouse had disappeared. There was no accountingfor such a rapid exit, when somebody suggested that possibly Lion hadswallowed it. And such was the fact; the poor little mouse had foundsafety in the dog's huge jowls. Immediately Lion's lips were opened thetiny creature jumped out uninjured and made good its escape.
Lion, being a particularly powerful dog, was not easy to play trickswith. On one occasion whilst he was walking along the bank of a canal,a passing bargeman began to poke him with his oar. With a sudden rushand a jerk, Lion seized the oar, and lifted his tormentor into thewater. It is interesting to note that Lion's portrait was despatched ina heavy case to Paris, just at the time of the Revolution, and narrowlyescaped being used as a barricade.
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