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Inscription: WAITING FOR THE COUNTESS / LONDON: VIRTUE & Co. LIMITED. //

Inscription: T.O. //

Inscription: SIR EDWIN LANDSEER. R.A. PINX.T //

Stamp: WITT / LIBRARY //

Label: WAITING FOR THE COUNTESS. / THE graceful bloodhound here represented was given to the late Countess / of Blessington by the then King of Naples. The picture was painted / by Landseer at the express request of the dog's mistress, whose friend he / was, her mansion in Kensington being at that time open to many who / had distinguished themselves in the higher walks of literature and art. Lady / Blessington edited the Book of Beauty and the Keepsake for several years, and in / addition contributed to several of the leading magazines. / The bloodhound is celebrated in history, and chiefly from that well-known power / of scent from which its name originates. Wallace, we are told in the history of / Scotland, was on one occasion nearly captured by means of one of these animals; and / it is still better known how the Maroon revolt in Jamaica was brought under by their / use. Now that our present state of civilisation rightly forbids their being employed to / chase a human being, they are heard of only as handsome pets; in fact, they have / become the tall guardsmen in the army of domestic dogs. / "Waiting for the Countess" was painted in 1832. It was first engraved, as a / book-plate, by Lumb Stocks in 1835, again by C.W. Wass in 1850, and in the present / instance by Mr. C. G. Lewis. The original passed, at Lady Blessington's sale, to Mr. / Grundy, of Manchester, for two hundred and fifty guineas; by him it was sold to / Mr. C. W. Wass, from whom it passed to Messrs. Agnew, and thence to Mr. John / Chapman, the present owner. //

Inscription: C. G. LEWIS, SCULP.T //