This painting is by Sir Edwin Landseer (the artist for whom the black and white dogs are named). It is entitled “The Champion.” The dog’s name is Venus, and retrieving rabbits is de rigueur working retriever work in England.
The big dogs were definitely used for retrieving work in the nineteenth century, and water trials for Newfoundlands and Portuguese water dogs do involve some retrieving work. However, Newfoundlands have to “retrieve” people, not ducks.
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This dog in the painting is not so big as the biggest / or the modern Neufs. You compare the size of the rabbit to the size of the dog. The shape of the head is just like any modern lab’s head.
Only the hair and the colour refers to Landseer.
It is a pointer-coloured, thick’n’long haired Newfoundlandian, not very big.
I have not seen a wild European rabbit, but if they are the size of a cottontail, I have to agree with you.
I saw a European hare when I was in England.
Beautiful painting by Landseer. However, I strongly feel the game is misnamed – it looks more like a hare to me, having longer ears and hindlegs than a rabbit!
Can’t either find any resemblance to a Labrador’s head. The stop is far too prominent and the muzzle much longer.
Just my interpretation – or failing eyesight.
I don’t know. I’ve seen a European hare, and it looks almost exactly like a jackrabbit, which is also a hare. You should see the hares we have here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowshoe_Hare
Here’s Landseer’s depiction of red (golden) wavy-coated retriever with a hare and it doesn’t look the same: http://www.dogpainting.com/art_detail.cfm?Reference_Number=EL00_40
No, that dog isn’t a “golden retriever.” It predates the Tweedmouth strain, but it shows that red and yellow wavy-coats were evident throughout the mid-nineteenth century.