Newfoundland Dog and Terrier at a Stream 

Edwin Landseer painted "Newfoundland Dog and Terrier at a Stream" with oils on canvas at some unknown date. Landseer was an animal painter of the Victorian era, his works celebrated and sentimentalized animals by attributing human-like qualities to them. The painting reflects the Victorian obsession with domesticity and the natural world, Landseer's choice of dogs as subject matter aligns with the era's fascination with animals as companions and symbols of loyalty. Dogs, particularly breeds like the Newfoundland, were associated with specific social classes. The Newfoundland was seen as a noble, working-class dog, while terriers were associated with the gentry. Landseer often depicted animals in a way that reinforced social hierarchies and moral values. To understand Landseer's intentions better, we might look at breed standards, popular literature, and the social history of animals in Victorian Britain. Landseer's art reminds us that even seemingly innocent images of animals can be deeply embedded in the social structures and values of their time.