An otter strikes the pose of a golden-age dignitary: a lace collar, dark drapery and the soft light inherited from Vermeer. The mischievous animal slips into the clothes of a Baroque noble with irresistible poise, and the contrast between the gravity of the old portrait and its whiskered little face is exactly what makes this witty illustration so enjoyable. The joke lands all the better because the animal seems entirely convinced of its rank and importance.

This costumed portrait is part of our gallery of ennobled animals, to discover in our Animal Portraits collection. It brings a note of amused elegance above a console, in a study or a book-lined library, and will delight those who take pleasure in playfully subverting the codes of classical painting. Framed in a dark shade, it readily takes on the air of an old-master canvas found at a flea market.

• From a small 13×18 cm to a large A0: sixteen formats to find the right scale
• Frame available in four shades (black, white, light wood, dark wood) or none, your call
• Quality paper and pigment inks, for a print produced on demand
• Delivery costs you nothing

A witty gift for a lover of old-master painting, or for someone with a quiet but sincere soft spot for otters.