DAVID SHEPHERD | Muffin's Pups
44 x 59 cms / 17 ¼ x 23 ¼ inches
Oil on canvas
Signed David Shepherd 1983 (lower right)
David Shepherd’s love of animal's shines through in Muffin's Pups. As with many of his works, it is this passion, clearly evident in his work, that creates an instant empathy with his audience. David's technique of combining photorealism with his broad impressionist technique and his impeccably accurate palette instantly strikes a chord with the viewer.
Renowned for his commanding portrayals of African wildlife, David Shepherd brings the same care and conviction to the intimate subject of Muffin’s Pups. Painted with affection and insight, this portrait of eight tumbling puppies from the first litter of the artists family’s beloved bearded collie, Muffin. David captures a moment of joyful chaos and irresistible charm.
The puppies at only seven weeks old, are rendered with a softness that portrays both technical skill and personal attachment. Their tousled coats, inquisitive eyes and play-worn paws are painted with a lightness of touch that conveys their burgeoning personalities and the endearing mayhem they brought to the household. Shepherd later recalled that this was when they were “at their most irresistible.”
While Shepherd’s broader oeuvre was often shaped by conservation and grandeur, Muffin’s Pups offers something quieter. It is a portrait of domestic love, observation and delight in character. Yet even here, his painterly discipline remains. It is a carefully composed scene, balanced in palette and gesture, that invites connection. This is a tender painting offering a rare glimpse into the personal world of one of Britain’s most celebrated wildlife artists.
