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Tippoo

Frederick Birnie

1750

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

18th Century

Dominant colour

Tippoo is a 1750 by Frederick Birnie, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Frederick Birnie
When & what style?: 1750
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This print shows a single sheep standing in a grassy field with rolling hills in the background. The sheep has thick, curly wool and a calm expression, facing slightly left. A tree with sparse branches is behind it, and the sky is faint but visible in the distance. The sheep’s name, *Tippoo*, is written at the bottom, along with notes about it being sent from India. The artist used soft shading to give the animal a gentle, almost three-dimensional look. Next, check out the Victoria and Albert Museum to see more prints like this.

The story of this work

Overview

The print depicts a Mysore breed ram shown in profile, facing left, with a mountainous backdrop. A shepherdess accompanied by a small flock of sheep appears in the mid-ground to the left of the composition. The sheep illustrated was presented to the Prince of Wales.

Read the full account in the museum source.