Russel review

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 It is lovely painting, quite idyllic with children and dogs. I found the focal point of the painting very well accentuated; you can almost visually draw a circle at the centre. The effect is created with the open umbrella on the right and the placement of dogs on the left to be in circular line with the barrel. It is as if the artist has first drawn the circle and placed the elements  inside. Try to partly close your eyes and see; you will get to see more clearly the structure of the painting. 


The dogs seem to be the Jack Russel terriers, a common breed in England at the end of the 19th century. All of them seem to be docked, meaning a  portion  of the tail has been removed. This practice of tail docking was thought to prevent rabies, strengthen the back, increase the animal's speed, and prevent injuries when ratting and fighting. It was particularly done for dogs working in fields or in countryside, where with the tail's wagging, it may be subject to abrasion or other injury while moving through dense brush or thickets. They would of course lose the tail as a communication tool, but that was a lesser sacrifice.


I am wondering why it must have been titled 'Complete'. I suspect the children have found all the five dogs and are overjoyed to find the truant one, probably the one held by the girl. The fact the dogs have been docked, they must have been bred and tended together and must have been part of the children's family. 


The artist's mastery of painting dogs is obvious. The bone structure, muscles and typical positions they take are extremely well depicted. Any animal lover's heart will be touched seeing this painting.

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