The more Victorian era naive drawings and watercolors I look at, the more I've come to recognize specific subjects--this is the second drawing of girl riding a giant dog and having dropped her hat that I've found, the both way more primitive but both clearly based on the same popular image. Together with what I'm sure are many more versions out there, they thus become studies in theme and variation, revealing much about their makers through comparison. And this I think is a great one, with lots of attention invested in the leaves of this rather strange looking tree, but most importantly in the girl-- who looks quite composed, as if she's quite practiced in this--and this fabulous dog she sits a top, tongue wagging and paw lifted to open the gate.
Framed as found in a nice wooden period frame, which is in good shape, with a little surface wear in a few spots as documented, minor. The drawing is in great shape. Framed: 10 5/8" x 8 3/4". Sight: 8 1/2" x 6 1/2". Mid 19th century I believe.
