Mr Stott's favourite dogs 

Edwin Landseer's painting, "Mr Stott's favourite dogs," is rendered in oil paint on canvas, a traditional medium for the artist. Here, Landseer, who found fame painting animals, demonstrates the qualities of oil paint to render the dog's fur with incredible detail. His mastery is on full display in the delicate blending of colors and tones, used to create a sense of depth and volume. What strikes me most is the way Landseer's technique elevates a simple portrait of two dogs to something more. As with all hunting scenes, the painting has a dark undercurrent. At its root, it's a scene of social context. The men who hunted were from the gentry, the upper classes. Ultimately, Landseer asks us to consider the value we place on skill, on tradition, and on the representation of animals in art, blurring the lines between craft and fine art.