Podenco Hound

Podenco Hound is the epitome of Barry Flanagan’s finest works, utilising animal forms, here the hound, to create a work which is playful and humorous, whilst also using it to explore his theological and formal artistic practices. Flanagan often drew on the ancient and the mythological in his work, enjoying the layers of myth and legend, which he could manipulate in his contemporary pieces. Here he has depicted his hound, who is derived from the Podenco Ibicenco, also known as the Ibizan hound, which can be traced as far back as 4000 BC. The primitive Podenco hound is perhaps most famously associated with the Egyptians, their long slender limbs and large pointed ears seen adorning many Egyptian tombs and friezes. Their most iconic association is with Anubis, the God of the underworld. The Phoenician traders took the Podenco hound to the Balearic Islands, and to this day they can be found still working in Spain and its surrounding islands.

We are very grateful to the Barry Flanagan estate for their assistance in preparing this catalogue entry.