Saint Bernard puppies drinking milk

At the beginning of the 1880s Eerelman devoted himself to the portrayal of horses and dogs, as those were always most popular. Many well-to-do dog owners brought their faithful companions to the artist's house at the Elandstraat in The Hague where the dog would stay for a period of time while being portrayed. Otto Eerelman painted all sorts of breeds, but preferred the Saint-Bernhard, as can be seen in the present lot. The present charming painting shows four Saint-Bernhard pups drinking from a bowl of milk. The little rascals are placed in an ingenious composition: one dog is seen from the side, staring directly into the viewers eyes. Two pups are in the middle of drinking while the fourth pup patiently awaits his turn. In this painting Eerelman brilliantly shows the softness of the furs and the cheerful character of the pups with their wiggling tails. Eerelman was a master in capturing the expression and the characters of the dogs as well as their shiny pelisse. It was also during this time that he served as a court painter and many of his works are still to be seen in the Royal Palace Het Loo in Apeldoorn. During a period of thirty years Eerelman dedicated himself to documenting the life of Princess Wilhelmina (later Queen of the Netherlands) and hereby established his reputation.