Hours of Innocence
by
Sir Edwin Landseer
This work is also known as "The Friends," although the painting is properly known as Lord Alexander Russell Son of the 6th Duke of Bedford with His Dog. Landseer conducted a lengthy affair with the Duchess of Bedford — with the Duke's knowledge and tacit approval — and fathered at least one of her last two children. If Landseer was the father of her last two, then this picture shows one of Landseer's two (illegitimate) children, for Alexander was the Duchess' last son. (Her last child, Rachel, is unquestionably Landseer's.)
Alexander Russel was born in 1821, so this image would be from c. 1825 - 1828, in my best guesstimate.
I have found no specific information regarding this dog or regarding the breeds of dogs owned by the Duke of Bedford's family; as a sporting man and lover of animals, the Duke would have owned many dogs. (The Duchess of Bedford, by the way, was from the family that developed the Gordon Setter.) If this is a Newfoundland — it seems to have some retriever characteristics, although it is clearly being associated with the water by virtue of the fact it has retrieved a toy boat from the water — this would be a very notable work in the history of Newfoundland depictions, for it would be Edwin Landseer's only depiction of a Newf that is not black-and-white. It would also be one of the earliest depictions of a black Newfoundland.