Why 19th-Century Farmers Painted Their Animals Larger Than Life

In the 19th century, before the advent of photography, farmers relied on exaggerated portraits of livestock to promote their best animals at agricultural fairs. These paintings served both as documentation of pride and as marketing tools, often featuring oversized animals to symbolize strength and prosperity. Prominent artists like Thomas Sidney Cooper and Edwin Henry Landseer specialized in these idealized depictions, understanding that a well-painted animal could elevate a farmer's status and financial success in competitive rural communities.

Farmers commissioned artists to depict their prize-winning animals not only as documentation but as promotional tools. To catch the eye and elevate status, they often asked for a little 'artistic enhancement.'

Without photography, paintings were one of the only ways to advertise a farm's best animals. These images served a marketing purpose.

Read at Animals Around The Globe