Duchess was a gentle lady Labrador of the white/blond variety displaying the feminine face so typical of the more refined breed lines. A much adored family companion who in her later years unfortunately suffered from Canine Cushings Disease. The adult children clubbed together for this commission and managed to obtain some photos of Duchess in her slightly younger years so I could create this portrait for their parents. I truly enjoyed doing this one in it’s scratchier conte pencil chalk style and the orange and deep green contrast gives it all a retro 19th C Edwardian gun-room look. Duchess was a sweet personality and you can see it coming through. Isis from Downton Abbey has a competitor!

We arranged to also make fine quality colour reprints in a smaller size, which I signed as a special limited edition  for each of the family’s children across the country. It was a pleasure to do this and since then, I have found clients take advantage of the suggestion as an extra option.