"something about foreign dogs"

A little while ago I posted an excerpt from an older book that I thought spoke in a patronizing fashion toward the non-English-preferred dog. I've another, and this book has everything - wariness of the foreign! too many quotation marks! namedropping! And a great name to boot:

All About Dogs: A Book for Doggy People, by Charles Henry Lane (London and New York: John Lane, 1900).

So that being said, let's go to page 291 and Chapter XVI, entitled - you guessed it - Something About Foreign Dogs.

* * *
I think, perhaps, it will be best for me to say something about these, although my friend, Mr. Edwin Brough, was wont to call them by the generic term of " Wild Beasts," particularly those belonging to our mutual friend, Mr. W. K. Taunton, who for very many years had one of the best collections of rare breeds of foreign dogs, I should say, to be met with in Europe, comprising specimens from the Arctic Regions, China, Australia, India, Africa and other distant parts of the world.
* * *
Yeah, those places. Those not English places. Hrmmph. What are these dogs so beyond the pale? They include the Norwegian Elk-Hound, the Persian Greyhound, the Afghan Sheep Dog, and the "Thibetan Sheep Dogs," about which Mr. Lane says this:

* * *
Thibet Sheep Dogs—A breed I have not often seen, but which is really a handsome and noble looking one is the Great Thibet Sheep Dog, of which I remember H. R. H. the Prince of Wales had a good specimen at Sandringham some years since, which I can only describe as having a Collielike body with a thick under and over coat, but not so profuse as with our collies, and a head combining the expression of Newfoundland, Mastiff and Bloodhound, large, pendulous ears, heavy lips and jaws, and great dignity, and even ferocity in appearance. From the rough life they live, with very rough people, I have heard from those who have travelled in Thibet, these dogs are very awkward customers to tackle, and often make things very unpleasant for travellers and strangers, but I have no doubt they would make excellent guards, and have a very distinguished appearance as companions.
* * *
Hrmmph.

a faithful rabbit

This image seems unassuming at first, I'm sure. It is a detail from Andrea Mantegna's "The Agony in the Garden" (circa 1458-60), in which Christ's apostles have fallen asleep though they meant to keep vigil with him. He entreats a small party of angels with the message that He would much rather this task fall from him, but God's will be done. Is there no living creature awake nearby to keep Him any company? There is - this humble brown rabbit, heading out of the picture frame as if to run for help. For those who want to arrest Him are coming, and all that stands in their way on the road are a few more of this rabbit's kind.

You can learn more about this painting at Britain's National Gallery.

the scientific cat

This list of what separates a cat from inert matter comes from a scientific work of the early 1900's, and it tickled me. Please go down the list and see if what you have is a cat or some other undifferentiated protoplasm:

* * *
§ 5. The contrasts which exist, then, between the cat, Considered Merely As A Living Being, and the mass of non-living inorganic things may be summed up as follows:

(1) It is bounded by curved lines and surfaces.
(2) Its section is heterogeneous.
(3) It consists almost entirely of oxygen, hydrogen, carbon, and nitrogen, and largely of protoplasm.
(4) It grows by intussusception.
(5) It needs a certain moderate heat.
(6) It needs definite supply of moisture.
(7) It needs food.
(8) It effects a process of continued gaseous interchange.
(9) It tends to carry on a cycle of changes when exposed to certain fixed conditions.

-- from The cat: an introduction to the study of backboned animals, especially mammals, St. George Jackson Mivart (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1900), p. 445.

vintage photo time

On the back: "Nola & Corky by our sweet peas in back of house on alley. 1956"

Boy, I'd be proud of those sweet peas too! Isn't it funny that the one smiling right into the camera is the dog? And which one's Nola and which is Corky?

Yet more thanks to the super-sweet bulk photo bin at Ampersand.

two dogs from a florentine wall

(Image: public domain)
Attentive, a bit cowed, these two hounds crouch at their master's feet. They stick together, not knowing quite what to do in all the hubbub; for their master Adonis has been torn by a wild boar, and is dying in the arms of his handmaidens. This is a detail from a fresco, "The Death of Adonis," by late Baroque painter Luca Giordano (1634-1705). The entire fresco is one of many Giordano created in the "long gallery" of Florence's Palazzo Medici-Riccardi during the years 1684-86.

The story of Adonis as I was taught it was simple on the surface: he was a handsome hunter whom Aphrodite loved so much that her husband Ares sent the wild boar to kill him. (Or Persephone, who also loved him, sent the killer boar out of spite.) When I really sat down to look it up, I discovered that Adonis was brought back to life by Zeus, thereby establishing him as a figure of renewal and resurrection. Not a bad theme to have in the house of a Florentine merchant prince.

You can read more about Adonis here, and see the whole fresco too - look for the boar racing away in the background with other hounds in hot pursuit.

rather patronizing 19th c thoughts on the italian greyhound

The following excerpt is found in A history and description of the modern dogs of Great Britain and Ireland (Non-Sporting Edition) by Rawdon B. Lee (London: Horace Cox, 1894). You'll see it's lengthier than I usually go in for, but I was so struck by the sheer John Bull roast-beef English attitude toward these elegant (and foreign!) creatures.

* * *

CHAPTER XVI.

THE ITALIAN GREYHOUND.

THIS graceful and fragile little creature, with the equally choice Maltese dog, may not survive long in this country. He has never been a particularly great favourite, owing doubtless to his delicate constitution and the great difficulty there has always been to produce perfect specimens of the ordinary English greyhound in miniature, which the so-called Italian variety undoubtedly ought to be, though in proportion the limbs of the latter are more slim, and were never ordained by nature for rougher work than playing on the lawn, or having a romp in the dining room.

Here is what a writer at the commencement of the century says of what he calls "a diminutive native breed, which seem only calculated to sooth vanity and indulge frivolities: these dogs are so deficient of the spirit, sagacity, fortitude, and selfdefence of every other sort of the canine race as not to be able to officiate in the services of domestic alarm and protection ; and in consequence are dedicated only to the comforts of the tea table, the fire-side carpet, the luxurious indulgences of the sofa, and the warm lap of the mistress. As a proof of the delicacy of this little animal, it is averred that if held up by its legs the texture of the skin is so exceedingly fine when interveningly opposed to the sun, or a strong light, that the distinct chain of the intestinal canal is truly perceptible to a nice observer." The fallacy of this must be apparent.

When the Italian greyhound became fashionable in this country there is nothing to tell us, but that it was a favourite at Court in the time of the Stuarts there is no doubt whatever, though I fancy at that time it was a bigger and stronger animal than it came to be at the early part of this century. In the picture gallery at Hampton Court there is a portrait of the Queen of James I. in the act of mounting a horse attended by a black servant. In the picture are included several Italian greyhounds, some of them fawn in colour, others blue and blue and white, and they are undoubtedly going to accompany their royal mistress on her equestrian excursion. These dogs, although much of the make and build of the Italian greyhounds of the present day, appear to be somewhat larger, going perhaps up to 16lb. in weight; still they are unmistakably of the same stamp we have now, and their appearance in the picture is sufficient proof that such dogs were fashionable very early in the seventeenth century, for James came from Scotland to be King of England in 1603. (pps. 334-37)

* * *

zwei katzen

(Curatorial note: I only realized this morning that I've been paying a disproportionate amount of attention to the kitties in my recent posts. I promise to get some more friends into the mix and soon.)

Zwei Katzen: Two Cats, from the hand of Franz Marc (1880-1916). I've posted before on Marc's role in the founding of The Blue Rider and German expressionism in general, but this piece clearly was created before 1911 or so, which saw Marc strike out into that stylistic innovation. While Wikipedia (public domain; thanks!) did not have a date on this piece, its execution resembles cat studies from circa 1908 that I have found. This would appear to be a lithograph, a process which lends itself well to supple, fine lines such as those winding these cats into existence and around each other. As you can tell, I've been digging like mad for any further facts on this piece. Not finding them, I've had to use my best educated guesses; but that's a pleasure when examining such a beautiful work. Look at the sheer power contained within this image.

hey, my kitten

According to this page, this short and dear nursery rhyme is only found in two verse collections, one from 1843, the other from 1850. I might be excused then for never having heard it before, but now that I have, it suits me fine. . .

Hey, my kitten, my kitten,
And hey, my kitten, my deary,
Such a sweet pet as this
Was neither far nor neary.

kitty-valse

So was your curiosity kindled by all those pieces of music inspired by cats? And perhaps you found some of them hard to scare up? I did. But I found Gabriel Faure's delightful "Kitty-Valse" and wanted to share a sprightly rendition with you here.

You know now that "Kitty-Valse" was a piece within the "Dolly Suite," written from 1893 to 1896. "Dolly" was little Helene Bardac, daughter of singer Emma Bardac, with whom Faure was close in those years. The "Dolly Suite" was not written all at once, but in bits, as presents if you will. All six segments were written as piano duets, and I can't help but wonder if Faure and Emma played them together for her tiny daughter. They are light, tender and short, just the thing for a very young child. Now here's the surprise: "Kitty-Valse" and its fellow in the suite "Miaou" -- are not actually about cats. "Miaou" was originally Helene's attempt to pronounce the name of her brother Raoul (I can see that one, can't you?), while "Kitty-Valse" was for the family dog, named Kitty or Ketty depending on whom you ask. You can get some more info here at this ClasssicalArchives.com page.

"mouse-catching rhyme"

Could any list of classical cat music be complete without Hugo Wolf's "Mouse-Catching Rhyme"? Now that I've heard of it, I think not. And that's thanks to Fred Flaxman, of "Compact Discoveries with Fred Flaxman."

I recently discovered the online transcripts of his two-part program, "A CATalog of Music." Here's just a few of the treats listed therein:
- Gabriel Fauré: Mi-a-ou from Dolly Suite
- Eric Satie: Song of the Cat
- Ernst Dohnány: Cats on the Roof
- Aaron Copland: I Bought Me a Cat
- Ernesto Lecuona: Black Cat

Pretty intriguing, huh? Go have a look (and a listen, if you sign up for the particular audio platform they have). A CATalog of Music part I, followed by part II.

woofstock kittens

This fluffy babe wanted to hide under a flap of its tent. All the people and fresh air were a bit much. One does understand.


Cats don't like change without their consent. -- Roger A. Caras




Meanwhile, its sibling was quite happy to size me up for possible mother material.


There are few things in life more heartwarming than to be welcomed by a cat. -- Tay Hohoff









A solemn orange kitten at whom I gazed and longed, but did not dare to hold . . .


The cat does not offer services. The cat offers itself. Of course he wants care and shelter. You don't buy love for nothing. Like all pure creatures, cats are practical. - - William S. Burroughs

woofstock is tomorrow!

Late breaking post: That's right, the Dugan Foundation is presenting Woofstock 2010 on August 7, 2010. Come on out to Todd Field at the University of Puget Sound, meet your new pet (dogs, cats, bunnies, ferrets, all are ready to be met), buy your pets a little something, and enjoy some tunes. More info here.

It might rain a little, but as Ogden Nash says,
The truth I do not stretch or shove
When I state the dog is full of love.
I've also proved, by actual test,
A wet dog is the lovingest.

tiny gems from tanya bond

copyright tanya bond, reproduced with artist's kind permission

This buttery, glowing oil pastel is the work of Irish artist Tanya Bond. She has created a sizable body of work, much of which portrays animals both everyday and more fanciful (her charming and funny Paddy the Rat is a great example of the latter). Now, as you get lost in those green eyes and that oh so soft fur, I want you to know that this work is in truth a tiny 2.5" x 3.5" ACEO (Art Card Originals & Edition). To execute that level of depth and detail in such a space - I find that masterful.

Bond often works in such a size, as she says: "I'm a self-taught artist working in various media, primarily in oil pastels. Most of my paintings are tiny ACEOs - miniatures the size of a credit card which are quite tricky to paint, but the end result makes it worth the extra effort. When I paint animals I always intend to place them in some cosy or humourous surrounding, something that would put a smile on your face."

The intimate scale of these works lend themselves well to a happy little gift of an image, the sort of art that centuries before our own would tuck into a snuffbox or a locket to cheer a person in an ordinary moment. You can see many more of Tanya Bond's animals and her other selections if you'll head to her Etsy shop and to her blog, tanyabond.com, in which she often talks about good practical solutions for various art challenges.

elizabeth is a card

I can't help but do a little bragging - slash - promoting this morning: Artist friend Heather has made a series of handmade, lino cut print cards in honor of the Museum! Here's Elizabeth for your correspondence pleasure. At Heather's Etsy store you'll see a few more of our favorite biteface, plus a lovely card series based on E's first dog friend Chloe.
I wish I could make wonderful things with my hands like Heather can. I helped design them, but I'm not very good at making.