The father of the dog and animal artists, Maud and Percy Earl, George was also the brother of another animal artist, Thomas Earl. George was an active sportsman who excelled in the depiction of dogs and he is remembered primarily as a sporting dog painter. Little is known of his background and training or his early work.

Earl exhibited nineteen paintings at the Royal Academy between 1857 and 1882, although only two were of dogs (a Maltese and an Old English Mastiff). His most important work was undoubtedly 'The Field Trial Meeting' which depicted a mythical field trial in Bala, North Wales, in which almost all the important field trial personalities of the day are depicted with their dogs. He is also remembered for an important series of portrait head studies of dogs, Champions of England. Painted in the 1870s, this was illustrated in a now rare volume of the same name.

Literature: 'Dog Painting. The European Breeds' by William Secord, published by the Antiques Collectors' Club