A blockade runner (Cat and Dogs) - Briton Riviere - Framed Picture 16" x 12"

Briton Riviere RA was a British artist of Huguenot descent. He exhibited a variety of paintings at the Royal Academy, but devoted much of his life to animal paintings.

Briton's father, William Riviere, was for some years drawing-master at Cheltenham College, and then an art teacher at the University of Oxford. Briton was educated at Cheltenham College and Oxford, where he took his degree. For his art training he was indebted almost entirely to his father.

His paternal uncle Henry Parsons Riviere was also a noted watercolourist, exhibiting works at the Royal Watercolour Society, London and the Royal Birmingham Society of Artists.

His first pictures appeared at the British Institution, and he exhibited three works at the Royal Academy, but it was not until 1863 that he became a regular contributor to the Academy exhibitions.

In a lengthy interview in Chums Boys Annual, entitled "How I paint animals", Riviere explained some of the practicalities of painting both tame and wild animals

Early in his career, Riviere made some mark as an illustrator, beginning with Punch magazine.