Circle of Sir William Beechey, RA, British 1753-1839- Portrait of two children with a dog, full-length, in a woodland setting; oil on canvas, 126.8 cm x 101.5 cm. Provenance: An important Private Collection, UK. Note: From around the middle of the 18th century, the notion of childhood began to be considered in new ways. While earlier generations had viewed the period of life as a perilous time, during which children had to be saved from immoral behaviour, children were increasingly being seen as inherently good. These new ideas were influenced by the French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78), who argued that childhood was an age of innocence. His writings significantly contributed to the establishment of the cult of childhood which found its visual expression in the work of British artists including Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough. Such attitudes, too, coincided with changes in how society perceived animals: keeping pets was an increasingly popular notion and there was a growing view that the benevolent treatment of animals was a sign of a moral society. The present work was undoubtedly conceived against the backdrop of this societal and psychological shift. For a comparably charming portrait by Beechey, of similar subject, see Christie's, London, 29 January 2014, lot 46 'The Dashwood Children'. See, also, the child portraits of American artist Gilbert Stuart (1755-1828), which serve for further comparison - for example, Anon. sale, Christies, London, 16 June 2005, lot 253 'Portrait of two children with a dog, full-length, the boy in a red suit, the girl, said to be Miss Bailey, in a white dress with pink sash, a landscape beyond'. 品相报告: Held in a giltwood frame. Please refer to department for condition report