Born in Hildesheim, Germany in 1858, Edmund Henry Osthaus studied at the Royal Academy in Dusseldorf. There he studied under such artists as Andreas Muller, Peter Jansen, E.V. Gebhardt, E. Deger and Christian Kroner.

In 1883, Osthaus immigrated to the United States, where he became the principal of the Toledo Academy of Fine Arts in Toledo, Ohio. After the school closed, Osthaus devoted himself to painting. Hunting and fishing were his passion, and became the subject of most of his works. However, his specialty was hunting dogs, and he quickly became known for his detailed and life-like portraits of them at work and play. Osthaus followed dog shows and sporting events, and his dog portraits include field trial champion pointers and setters.

In 1911, Osthaus established a studio in Los Angeles, California, and remained based there for the remainder of his life. He also maintained homes in Ohio and New Jersey, as well as a hunting lodge in Marianna, Florida, where he died at the age of seventy on January 30, 1928.

His works are held by the Toledo Museum of Art and are collected by hunting and fishing aficionados all over the world.

Reference: November/December 2002 Wildlife Art, “Artists in California, 1786-1940” by Edan Hughes