Oil on Board Portrait of a Dog by Muriel Hester Broughton

A good dog portrait finds an owner quickly, and this oil on board is a lovely example by the listed British artist Muriel Hester Broughton, who worked from 1905 to 2003. It shows a long haired dog with a rich black and golden coat, lying alert on the grass with its head raised, painted in soft, confident brushwork against a loose green background that keeps all the attention on the animal. There is real warmth in the way the coat is handled, the highlights catching the light along the back and chest, and the whole thing has the affectionate character that the best animal paintings carry.

The painting measures 41 x 52 cm in its dark wood frame, a good size to hold a wall on its own or to sit within a group of pictures. Broughton is a properly listed artist whose work is held in a public collection at the London Borough of Sutton Museum and Heritage Service, so this is an original by a recorded hand rather than an anonymous decorative oil. It comes to you in good order, with honest age to the frame and a stable, intact paint surface, all shown closely in the photographs.

Hang it in a hallway, a study or a sitting room where a dog lover will see it every day, group it on a gallery wall with other original works and vintage frames, or lean it on a shelf among books for a collected, lived in feel. Animal portraits like this bring warmth and personality to a room in a way few other pictures manage, and an original by a listed artist is a lovely thing to own or to give.