John Crocker Bulteel in His Parlour 

John Frederick Lewis painted this watercolor of John Crocker Bulteel in his parlor sometime in the 19th century. Bulteel is depicted relaxing by the fire with his dogs after what we might imagine was a fox hunt. This image offers insight into the life of a wealthy landowner in England. The paintings on the walls, the riding gear strewn about, and even the dogs at Bulteel’s feet all speak to the leisure activities of the British upper class. This glimpse into Bulteel's private life, with its casual display of wealth and status, is both revealing and perhaps subtly critical. To understand this image more fully, one might research the Bulteel family, the tradition of fox hunting, and the social dynamics of 19th-century England. Through such historical investigation, art becomes a window into the social structures of its time.