Complete - A painting by Arthur John Elsley

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Children under an umbrella surrounded by Jack Russell terriers beside a barrel.
Children sheltering under an umbrella surrounded by lively terriers — the warmth and innocence of a rainy afternoon

It is a lovely painting, quite idyllic, with children and dogs. I found the focal point of the painting very well accentuated; one can almost visually draw a circle at the centre. The effect is created by the open umbrella on the right and the placement of the dogs on the left, forming a circular line together with the barrel. It is almost as if the artist first drew the circle and then placed the elements inside it. Try partly closing your eyes and looking at the painting; you will see the structure of the composition more clearly.

But within this circular arrangement there is also a gentle sense of movement. A diagonal seems to run through the picture from the boy's raised stick to the dog jumping up and further across to the girl holding the puppy. This diagonal quietly animates the composition, preventing the scene from becoming static and giving the painting a lively rhythm.

The dogs appear to be Jack Russell terriers, a common breed in England towards the end of the 19th century. All of them seem to have docked tails, meaning a portion of the tail has been removed. In those days tail docking was believed to prevent rabies, strengthen the back, increase the animal's speed, and prevent injuries when ratting or fighting. It was particularly done for dogs working in fields or in the countryside, where a wagging tail might suffer abrasion or injury while moving through dense brush or thickets. Of course, the dogs would lose the tail as a communication tool, but that was considered a lesser sacrifice.

The painter has also taken care that no two dogs appear in exactly the same posture. One is jumping up eagerly, another stands alert, a couple sit patiently while others look up expectantly. This variety gives the group a natural liveliness, as if they might burst into motion at any moment. Their attention seems drawn towards the boy's stick, and this shared focus subtly leads the viewer's eye back to the centre of the composition.

I have often wondered why the painting was titled Complete. My guess is that the children have found all the five dogs and are overjoyed to discover the missing one, probably the one held by the girl. Since the dogs appear to have been docked, they were likely bred and tended together and must have been part of the children's household.

There is also a touching tenderness in the way the girl holds the small puppy. While the other dogs are excited and playful, she cradles the little one gently, almost protectively. The artist has even used the light colour of the puppy against her darker dress to draw attention to this moment. It adds a quiet emotional note to the lively scene.

The artist's mastery in painting dogs is evident. The bone structure, muscles and the typical postures they take are beautifully depicted. Any animal lover's heart will be touched on seeing this painting.

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