Lot 1

Dogs in Art - an overview Dogs have the longest and most intimate association with the human race of any domesticated mammal. Few of us have not been touched at some point by the predominant characteristics of dogs - that of devotion and fidelity - and with their wide variety of shapes and sizes, temperaments and abilities, they have been long established as loyal companions and an important element of family life. Throughout history they also played an essential role in obtaining food, in farming and the keeping of livestock, as draught animals, as guard dogs and in war. The royal families and aristocracy in Europe also kept hunting dogs for sporting pursuits, which gradually over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries became available to an emerging middle class. For most of us today the dog is a companion animal. Dogs are a common visual motif in Western art and have been used by artists as companions and life models since the Renaissance. The development of European and American dog painting can be traced from an art historical perspective but also can be seen in a social historical context. Attitudes towards dogs have altered in the past three centuries and particularly in the nineteenth century they have differed from one country to another, all of which in turn has affected the impetus for depicting dogs on canvas. Paintings of dogs, like those of their masters, mirror the preoccupations of their moments in history. From the mid- to late nineteenth centuries, three important categories of dog painting can be delineated. These categories are not exhaustive and vary in importance between different countries according to each nation's own particular associations with dogs and their partiality for certain breeds. The first includes depictions of sporting dogs and hounds, painted to illustrate the superior working abilities of the animals. The second is that of the purebred dog, depicted to illustrate the breed characteristics in general and the finer points of one animal in particular. The third one is more generic, that of the pet portrait. The owner of a beloved pet, whether purebred or not, was interested in having a lasting portrayal of his dog, often depicted more casually in a domestic environment. These three categories can be seen in European as well as American dog painting, although the purebred dog portrait did not become as popular in the United States until the early twentieth century. There is also an important tradition of dog sculptures, particularly prominent in nineteenth century France and well represented in the sale by Pierre Jules Mêne, which can also be seen to follow these three broad categories. Sporting Dogs Hunting with dogs for sport was popular throughout Europe and several sporting breeds were developed which assisted with the hunt. Over the past three centuries, although there are similarities in the history of dog ownership and breeding as well as dog painting in Europe, there are characteristics which are specific to each area and nation. Certain breeds are found mainly, or exclusively, in one country. For example, hunting with hounds remained popular in France and therefore there is a wide variety of hound breeds kept specifically for the hunt. There are some twenty-eight distinct breeds of hound, most of which are unknown in England and many of which are still used today for hunting, such as the Basset Griffon Vendéen. The sporting dog portrait, with the emphasis on the performance of the dog rather than the purebred attributes or qualities as a pet, had existed since the seventeenth century. Dog and animal painting was much more in the mainstream of nineteenth century European and particularly British art than it is today. These artists were part of a tradition of animal painters which in the eighteenth century were best represented by artists such as George Stubbs in England and Jean-Baptise Oudry in France whose dog paintings were mainly of a sporting nature. However, with a new interest in field sports and in England with the Kennel Club's involvement with organized field trials, the demand for sporting dog portraits in the nineteenth century increased significantly. Sporting dogs varied in use between countries which in turn determined the artistic traditions of different countries. In England, field trials, fox hunting and coursing with Greyhounds dominated. In Germany and northern Europe, dogs were mainly used to hunt wild boar whereas in France, great packs of hounds were used to hunt deer. Purebred Dogs The purebred dog portrait originated in the nineteenth century. Until the turn of the eighteenth century individual breeds were recognized but without the interest in their history, appearance or formal categorization which developed in the nineteenth century. The most significant contributions to breeding, dog shows and field trials were made in Great Britain, which was also in turn where much of what we know about dog painting was defined by a large group of artists supported by an enthusiastic public. However, throughout Europe each country established kennel clubs and many French, German and Flemish breeds were unknown in England, such as the German Short-haird Pointer. In Great Britain, during the early years of the nineteenth century various works began to appear on individual dogs, particularly the Greyhound and the Irish Wolfhound. Later in 1866 George R. Jesse published Researches into the History of the British Dog which was the first book of its kind to deal with the history of individual breeds in a comprehensive way. This interest in developing breeds and promoting the purebred over the mongrel led to the first one-breed dog shows, the first of which were held in England in 1840. The first organized multiple-breed dog show took place in June 1859 at Newcastle -upon-Tyne, when fifty sporting dogs were entered - twenty-three Pointers and twenty-seven Setters. This was such a success that other dog shows were organized in the same year and the idea took on rapidly. The dog then became an animal to be exhibited and presented publicly for the scrutiny of others and the receipt of awards. As breeds were recognized it became clear that ownership of a purebred dog and in particular a prize-winning specimen, was considered to improve the social status of the owner. Purebred dogs, long established in the upper classes, became a mark of distinction amongst the new and active middle classes. At this time the first dog clubs were formed with the goal of more accurately defining the breeds. These were groups of amateurs who promoted the purity of their breed and began to set standards, or what is referred to as 'breed type.' As the shows developed it became necessary to have written descriptions of the standards in order for the judges to compare and evaluate the dogs. In 1867, The Dogs of the British Islands, a book containing articles reprinted from The Field magazine was published. It was edited by Dr. John Henry Walsh, the editor of The Field and focused on various kinds of dogs found in Great Britain and defined the parts of each breed's conformation. There were four subsequent editions of the book until 1886 and it enjoyed great success and today are still considered some of the most authoritative works on dogs ever written. As new breeds were developed and still others were imported into England, shows became more organized and The Kennel Club was formed in 1873 and standards were codified. Later the Kennel Club Gazette appeared which allowed the determination of what was or was not a purebred dog in Great Britain. Dog paintings provide important evidence of when and how breeds physically changed over the years. During the mid- to late nineteenth century, great emphasis was placed on the way the pure-bred dog looked and the sport of showing dogs became immensely popular. This encouraged many owners to have portraits commissioned of their dogs, particularly if they were champions. Artists such as Thomas Blinks, Maud Earl, John Emms and Arthur Wardle all excelled at painting the purebred dog. Pet Portraits In Europe, dogs had been kept as pets by Royalty, the aristocracy and landed gentry since at least the mid-sixteenth century, but for the large majority dogs were only kept in order to ensure the economic livelihood of the family. Throughout Europe there was a rise in the popularity of dogs as pets with each country having its own distinct development. For example, Paris was not only the center of pet keeping in France but also of dog show activity which contrasted to England where shows were held throughout the country. However, throughout Europe in the last quarter of the nineteenth century pet portraits reached a height of popularity. They typically show dogs in a domestic environment, engaged in canine activities such as resting, begging or performing tricks. Despite this, attitudes towards dogs were not consistent between European countries. In Belgium, dogs were often used to haul carts, as military and first aid dogs and to haul gun carriages. Whilst in Britain using dogs as beasts of burden had been banned in 1855, the practice continued in Belgium until well into the twentieth century. Pet portraits had therefore existed from at least the seventeenth century but it was not until the nineteenth century that this genre became very popular. With the rise of the middle-class in the nineteenth century, and the increase in leisure time, the dog was considered a companion and pet for a much wider spectrum of the population. The many artists who painted dog and dog-related subjects worked within the established order of institutions such as the Royal Academy in London and the Salon in Paris. In England, Queen Victoria, an avid animal lover, provided a significant example of commissioning and collecting dog paintings. Her lead, as well as the active involvement of prominent dog fanciers, created and encouraged countless others. Among the artists she patronized were Sir Edwin Landseer, Gourlay Steell, Charles Burton Barber and Maud Earl. In the nineteenth century, Sir Edwin Landseer was undoubtedly the most influential of the English animal artists, and the patronage of Queen Victoria assured his pre-eminence in this genre. Renowned for his naturalistic portrayal of animals coupled with his ability to imbue them with human sentiments such as 'heroism' or 'sympathy', he influenced an entire generation of artists such as Richard Ansdell and Thomas Blinks as well as artists on the continent. Royal patronage was an important influence on the genre throughout Europe, for example, in Belgium, Eugène-Joseph Verboeckoven produced many highly polished portraits of King Leopold's personal pets and his style influenced many other Belgian artists. Dog Painting in America There are certain parallel developments between America and Europe in the history of the purebred dog and the associated works of art which portrayed them. The sporting tradition of hunting with dogs which had been established in Great Britain for centuries had a rich artistic heritage surrounding it. Early sportsmen in America imported dogs of high quality from Europe for field work and in the nineteenth century, with the development of dog shows, many fine examples of purebred dogs were imported for exhibition as well. These animals eventually spread throughout the country and through breeding they established the foundations of America's best bloodlines. However, the purebred dog portrait and the pet portrait were slow in establishing themselves on the American scene. There were very few artists who chronicled the purebred dog or dog shows prior to the emigration of artists such as Maud Earl and Reuben Ward Binks in the twentieth century. Until the mid- to late nineteenth century, with a few exceptions, dogs were mostly depicted as part of a larger landscape or as pets posed as part of their master's portrait. A group of artists emerged in America who specialized in portraying sporting dogs at work in the field, such as Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait, Edmund Osthaus and Gustav Muss-Arnolt, who had all emigrated from Europe and established themselves as fine painters of sporting dogs. These artists, along with American-born artists such as Percival Rosseau and John Martin Tracy, are considered the 'backbone' of American dog art. With the exception of Muss-Arnolt, who painted many purebred dogs, these artists only occasionally did purebred dog portraits and pet portraits, and the majority of their work was in the sporting tradition. The development of dog shows in America was similar to that in England. Although the identity of the first dog show in America is still disputed, it is generally agreed that one of the first was the Illinois State Sportsman's Association of Chicago held on June 2, 1874. The first show to be held under English Kennel Club rules was on October 7, 1874 in Mineola, New York. The first annual dog show held by the Westminster Kennel Club, which later became the most prestigious dog show in America, was held on May 8-10, 1877 at New York's Gilmore Garden. The National American Kennel Club was founded in 1876 with one of its primary aims being the development of a stud book. The American Kennel Club differed from its English counterpart in that individuals were not members. Rather, kennel clubs from across the country were to send delegates to act on the member clubs' behalf. It was also not to be a show-giving organization, but to provide guidance and supervision for the growing number of dog shows. As in England, however, early sporting activities and field trials, and to a lesser extent conformation dog shows, created a demand for paintings of dogs. Contemporary Dog Painting In the twentieth century the demand for dog paintings continued, the early decades being the heyday for large kennels and portraits of dogs were very much in demand. Later in the century, artists such as American Edwin Megargee extensively chronicled purebred dogs, whilst other predominantly equine artists such as the British artist Michael Lyne occasionally did dog portraits. These traditions of the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries continue today and whilst no longer in the mainstream of the art world there are many artists who still work in a figurative tradition. Within mainstream contemporary art, the dog has featured with wit in such works as Andy Warhol's Ginger (1976), or as a symbol of kitsch in Jeff Koons' Poodle (1991) or as highly stylized works such as that by Niki de Saint Phalle. More traditional portraits of dogs whether sporting, purebred or pet, have continued to be popular and there has been a resurgence of interest in the dog from the end of the twentieth century, just as there was a century before. Dogs themselves have experienced a new and unprecedented popularity, with over one million purebred dogs being registered each year in America alone. The medical and scientific world has also recently appreciated what many dog owners have known for centuries: that dogs as companion animals are good for us! We are grateful to William Secord for his kind assistance with the preparation of this essay. Bibliography: William Secord, Dog Painting 1840-1940 A social history of the dog in art, Woodbridge, 1992. William Secord, Dog Painting The European Breeds, Woodbridge, 2000. William Secord, A Breed Apart The Art Collections of the American Kennel Club and The American Kennel Club Museum of the Dog, Woodbridge, Suffolk, 2001 E. P. Bowron, C.R. Rebbert, R. Rosenblum and W. Secord (eds), Best in Show The Dog in Art from the Renaissance to Today, exh. cat., Yale, 2006.

English Provincial School, late 17th Century

Portrait of a Young Boy, Full-Length, in an Embroidered Green Dress and White Collar, Holding a Horn in his Left Hand, with a Dog

Details

English Provincial School, late 17th Century
Portrait of a Young Boy, Full-Length, in an Embroidered Green Dress and White Collar, Holding a Horn in his Left Hand, with a Dog
oil on canvas
37¾ x 31½ in. (96 x 79.9 cm.)

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