Distressed by his playmate’s tears, a collie appears to beg the parental court for a reprieve in “Special Pleader” by Charles Burton Barber (1845 – 1894). A popular Victorian genre painter, Barber specialized in sentimental, photographic-quality paintings of dogs with children, and studied art at London’s prestigious Academy Schools. Queen Victoria was his principal patron, commissioning him to paint her favorite canines for almost 25 years, which led to the painting of many other pets of royalty. In addition, he illustrated children’s books and dabbled in photography.

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