A charming antique oil on canvas painting by James Cole (fl. 1856-1885).  It depicts a couple of sheepdogs waiting impatiently at the entrance to a cottage for the owner to feed them.

Works by this artist often achieve good prices at auction.  A couple of examples are included at the end of the photos.

Frame:

Presented in a later gilt wooden frame.

Signed:

Lower left and dated 1882

Provenance:

Private collection.

Condition:

Painting and frame are both in very good condition.  There is an old professional repair to the canvas.

Measurements:

Painting measures 45 x 35cm and the overall frames 59 x 49cm.

Biography:

A London painter, Cole exhibited extensively at the Royal Academy; British Institution and Society of British Artists, Suffolk Street. He was best known for his paintings of horses and dogs. Cole is listed in the Dictionary of British Art, Vol. IV, Victorian Painters by Wood.