The Otter Speared by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (0802-1873), Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Sir Edwin Henry Landseer (0802-1873)
The Otter Speared
About 1844
Oil on canvas
Gift from Lord Joicey, 1924
To the present-day viewer, this subject seems a strangely cruel one to choose. However, the flushed and grimacing huntsman was probably intended to be seen as part of the savagery of nature. The otter itself is shown as savage but courageous, continuing to strike back though mortally wounded. Its prey of two salmon lie dead on the bank.
Otter hunting Continued into the late 19th century. The artist Edwin Landseer was famous for his ability to paint animals and the silky sheen of their coats.
