Edwin Megargee ranks among the twentieth century’s most prolific and versatile artists, best-known as a portrait painter of canine subjects, primarily of purebred dogs.
Born in Philadelphia, Megargee studied at Georgetown University, Drexel Institute and the Art Students League in New York City, where he eventually settled and established a studio at Union Square. Megargee was businesslike about his artwork, arriving at his studio each morning at nine o’clock sharp and working in a three-piece suit. He worked and was highly skilled in various mediums including oil, pen and ink, watercolor and aquatint etchings.
Megargee prided himself on painting what he saw and whether depicting dogs in show poses or pointers and setters in the field, he created an important body of work which realistically depicted some of the finest animals in the country, many owned by the pre-eminent dog fanciers and sportsmen of the day. His skill as a painter, his extensive training and his understanding of purebred dogs made him an ideal artist to paint many of the nation’s top show dogs.
Megargee’s authority in depicting canine subject matter derives in part from his involvement with the dog world. He was a well-known breeder and exhibitor of Scottish Terriers under the Tobermory prefix. This kennel was a joint venture with another canine artist Marguerite Kirmse, and Adele Browning. He also was an active American Kennel Club judge and the President of The Scottish Terrier Club of America and the Associated Terrier Club.
Megargee was active in field sports and became well-known for depicting sporting dogs on point or working in the field. He was proud that his paintings were to become important historic records of the famous purebred dogs of the day, and one of his most important commissions were for the beautiful ocean liner, the S. S. America. Under the guidance of the Bedlington breeder, Colonel P.V.G. Mitchell of Rowanoaks Kennels, Megargee was commissioned to paint 24 circular portraits of well-known purebred dogs to decorate the doors of each kennel. It was truly an extraordinary commission and only fine examples of each breed were chosen. Megargee completed two paintings of each subject – one for the Ocean Liner and one for the owner of the dog. The American Kennel Club is fortunate to have a complete photographic set of them, reproducing each canine portrait.
Megargee’s work celebrates the quality and functionality of fine, purebred animals. Immediately identifiable by the high level of technical skill in his application of paint and his accurate depiction of the canine anatomy. “Indeed he has done so many horses of noble lineage, dogs of high degree, that he can truly be called the apostle of purebreds,” said Charles Long in his AKC Gazette profile of the artist in Dec. 1934.