Pink Fairy Armadillo. (1837)

Charles Hamilton Smith prints come from the sketchbooks of a soldier, naturalist and artist with endless curiosity. Smith painted dogs and horses of every breed, wild animals from around the world, Arctic icebergs and Antarctic voyages, and views of Spain and Portugal. Our collection of fine art prints includes his animal studies, polar and Pacific views, Iberian landscapes and medieval costume plates.

About Charles Hamilton Smith

Charles Hamilton Smith was born on 26 December 1776 in Flanders and became a British army officer, retiring as a lieutenant-colonel. Alongside his military career he was an artist, naturalist and antiquary, and in 1824 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society.

He wrote and illustrated the volumes on dogs (1839–40) and horses (1841) and the introduction to the mammals (1842) in Sir William Jardine's Naturalist's Library, and named the maned-wolf genus Chrysocyon and the crab-eating-fox genus Cerdocyon.

His costume books, Selections of the Ancient Costume of Great Britain and Ireland (1814) and, with Samuel Rush Meyrick, The Costume of the Original Inhabitants of the British Islands (1815), made him an adviser on historical dress to the actors Macready and Kean. He died on 21 September 1859.

Style and Subjects

Smith's animal studies are lively watercolours, drawn with a naturalist's eye for shape and markings but full of character. Dogs, horses, wolves, hyenas and zebras stand in simple settings, each one clearly labelled.

His views are softer and more atmospheric. Albums of watercolours show the towers and rivers of Spain and Portugal, and his polar scenes picture icebergs, auroras and ships among the ice, painted from accounts of voyages he never joined himself, from Parry's Arctic winter of 1819–20 to Ross's Antarctic expedition of 1839–43.

Famous Works

• Hippotigris Quacha (The Quagga). The extinct half-striped zebra of southern Africa.
• Maned Wolf. The stilt-legged South American wolf whose genus Smith named.
• Falkland Islands Wolf. A wolf of the Falklands, now extinct.
• Marengo, Bonaparte's Arab. Napoleon's famous Arab horse.
• The Alpine or Great St Bernard Dog (1839–1840). The great mountain rescue dog, from his work on dogs.
• Halo with Three Parhelia, Winter Harbour, Melville Island, Yale Center for British Art, New Haven. A halo of light over the Arctic, from Parry's winter of 1819–20.
• The Erebus Passing Through the Chain of Icebergs, Yale Center for British Art, New Haven. Ross's ship in the Antarctic ice.
• The Torre d'Oro at Seville, Yale Center for British Art, New Haven. The golden tower on the river at Seville, from his Views of Spain.

Decorating with Smith Prints

Smith's dog and horse studies are a natural fit for a hallway, boot room, study or country kitchen. Pick the breed you love, or hang a group of dogs or horses in matching wood frames for a classic, sporting look.

His polar scenes bring cool blues and whites to a bathroom, bedroom or modern living room, and they suit anyone fascinated by exploration. The Spanish and Portuguese views make a warm, sunny set for a dining room or reading corner.

FAQ

Who was Charles Hamilton Smith?

Charles Hamilton Smith (1776–1859) was a Flemish-born British army officer, artist, naturalist and antiquary, elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1824.

What is Charles Hamilton Smith known for?

His illustrated volumes on dogs, horses and mammals for Jardine's Naturalist's Library, his costume books, and his watercolours of animals, polar regions and Spain.

Did Smith go to the Arctic and Antarctic?

No. His polar scenes show voyages he never joined, from Parry's Arctic winter of 1819–20 to Ross's Antarctic expedition of 1839–43.

Where can I see his watercolours?

The Yale Center for British Art in New Haven holds albums including Views of Spain and Views of Polar Regions. Royal Museums Greenwich also holds his drawings.

Which animals did he name?

He named the maned-wolf genus Chrysocyon and the crab-eating-fox genus Cerdocyon.

Related Artists

• George Stubbs: English painter of horses and animals
• Joseph Wolf: German-born painter of wild animals in Britain
• Edward Lear: English artist of animals and travel views
• John James Audubon: naturalist-artist of North American animals