Isaac van Amburgh and his Animals 1839

"Isaac van Amburgh and his Animals" (1839) by Edwin Henry Landseer depicts the famous animal trainer Isaac van Amburgh, surrounded by a menagerie of exotic beasts including lions, tigers and leopards. The painting, housed in Windsor Castle, depicts the moment when van Amburgh, dressed in a Roman-inspired costume, poses in front of the audience, holding a lamb as a sign of his mastery over the wild. The painting is an example of Landseer's ability to capture both the grandeur and the danger of the animal world.