Percival Leonard Rosseau is one of the most important American painters of sporting dogs.

Born September 21, 1859 of French parents in Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana, Rosseau endured a tragic childhood. The Civil War took the lives of his father and two brothers. His mother also died during this period. He was taken in by family friends in Kentucky.

After receiving a private education, in 1894 he left his life in America behind for Paris to study art at the Academie Julian. Rosseau received recognition and success in Europe. Soon afterwards, he returned to the States in 1915 and continued painting scenes of Sporting dogs.

One of Rosseau’s wealthy patrons Percy Rockefeller lent Rosseau his own dogs to use as models and created a private studio for him at Overhills, his private hunting cub in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Even today, Percival Leonard Rosseau’s paintings continue to be sought after by American sportsmen and collectors.