"carlo and his little mistress," an improving tale

Edith had a fine dog, named Carlo. One holiday, Mary Wilson and Jane Smith, two of her schoolfellows, came to spend the afternoon with her. They had a merry time in the orchard, and Carlo was as playful as any of the party.
"Oh, Edith," said Mary Wilson, "Carlo likes me and Jane Smith as much as you!"
"No! no!" said Edith, "he likes his mistress best. Just test him, by pretending to flog me." -
Immediately poor Carlo was in great distress, and rushing upon his little mistress, he pushed her down on the grass, and tried to protect her by covering her as much as possible with his body.
Faithful little Carlo, thou art a " friend in need."

-- from Our Children's Pets, by "Josephine" (London: S.W. Partridge, 1865) pp. 152-53. This is one of those "improving" books for children typical of the era, filled with religious thoughts and exhortations. I liked this one, though, because "Josephine" spares no opportunity to point out what a Christian duty it is to love all animals and treat them with mercy and tenderness. No one belief system corners the market on such a good thing, but wouldn't it be nice if little kids learned things like that today?

how cats got to england: first time i've heard this one

Cats are believed to have been brought first into England from Cyprus by merchants who came to Cornwall for tin. It is generally supposed that the name is Teutonic. If so, it is a curious coincidence that the modern Persian name for cat is catio.

-- from Words, facts, and phrases; a dictionary of curious, quaint, and out-of-the-way matters, Eliezer Edwards (Chatto & Windus, 1882), p. 104. I have been trying to find any other reference to this theory, which is totally new to me. So far, nothing. Anyone else ever heard this one?

two beauties, one a puppy

and thanks again Wikimedia Commons {PD-Art}

Yet again I'm giving in to my partiality for Italian Mannerism - but can you blame me? This is "Portrait of a Lady in Red" (1532-33) by the Mannerist, Jacopo Pontormo. I'm sure the reproduction doesn't do it full justice; it's oil on panel, and probably more richly colored in reality, but I like the dry, cool dignity of this image.

What I really like is that miniscule spaniel. (Why do spaniels have that mild melancholy in their eyes?) Each curl of his fur has been picked out as though carved, yet Pontormo has still given him the perfect soft, sweet baby face. Without him this woman might be impossible to approach, but with him she seems relaxed and serene. That's spaniels for you.

delicious fish

thanks wikimedia commons {public domain}

They'll never notice if he takes just one fish. . . Maybe two. Pieter van Boucle (French, circa 1610 - 1673) has presented such a bounty of finned treats that you probably took a minute to realize there's a hungry, intent interloper off to the left there. Van Boucle's painting has all the details and abundance of the Dutch-style stilllifes popular in his time, but he mixes in a detail that's not only very much alive but sympathetic.

That cat reminds me of the new buddies that have popped up on my porch lately this summer. Some just want a kind word and a place to roll around. Some slink up with a guarded hope from stage left, too skinny not to get a little kibble. Elizabeth will never miss a handful. Maybe two.

a lost girl with her found kitten

"I didn't know where she had come from, and I didn't get her name, but there was something about that face - the hopefulness, positivity and openness to life - it was the new face of Britain."
So spoke the American documentary photographer Bruce Davidson in 2007 for a Guardian UK article series, "My Best Shot." His best shot had been taken 47 years earlier on a dark street in London, where he briefly befriended a group of youths. Among them was a slim blonde girl with apparently nothing to her name but a bedroll and a kitten, but it must have been enough. Read the article here. (The photo is included, and well worth the viewing.)
The kitten is long gone by any reckoning, but the girl - where is she now? As Davidson told PRI's "The World" recently in a radio interview, he'd like very much to know.

this dog is "a little confused"

copyright and by kindest permission of elle j wilson

This greyhound, with its Modigliani-like elongation, is "A Little Confused," the creation of Surrey (UK) artist Elle J. Wilson. You should go to her Etsy shop and see lots more of her work. I was attracted to the way she often chooses to mix long elegant lines with obvious humor and personality - which, if you know greyhounds, that's them. (The ones I know, anyway.) But I should let Elle speak for herself:
* * *
The majority of my artwork is based around the Sighthound Group of dogs. Greyhounds, Borzoi, Italian Greyhounds, Saluki etc.
My life and illustrations of dogs seem to intertwine with each other. On many occasions the titles I choose for my pieces have something to do with the way I am feeling on that particular day or what seems to be happening in my life. I guess I could write a book on the stories behind the names I give my paintings.
I really like my pieces to contain some kind of emotion, whether it be silly, sad, happy, grumpy; and in particular when I work on a private commission, I may spend hours just looking at the photographs a customer sends me. I feel like I need the photo to "talk" to me. I want to feel a connection with the dog itself, and then it's like the photo will tell me when it wants to be painted. Some pieces I am almost sad to send off, never to be seen again in the flesh. But... if I know that what I paint is making someone happy, then what else could I ask for.
* * *
She made me happy! Great greyhound, Elle.

vintage photo time

gift of j mcdermott xox

"Florence Marie and cousin," reads the note - written in kelly-green felt pen - on the back of this snap. Pretty sure they're talking about the girls.

a newfoundland teaches a lesson

Dr. Abell, in one of his lectures on phrenology, related a very striking anecdote of a Newfoundland dog at Cork. This dog was of a noble and generous disposition, and when he left his master's house was often assailed by a number of little noisy dogs in the street. He usually passed them with apparent unconcern, as if they were beneath his notice.
One little cur, however, was particularly troublesome, and at length carried his petulance so far as to bite the Newfoundland dog in the back of his foot. This was too much to be patiently endured. He instantly turned round, ran after the offender, and seized him by the skin of his back. In this way he carried him in his mouth to the quay, and holding him some time over the water, at length dropped him into it.
He did not seem, however, to wish to punish the culprit too much, for he waited a little while the poor animal, who was unused to that element, was not only well ducked, but near sinking, when he plunged in himself, and brought the other safe to land.

-- Also from Edward Jesse, Anecdotes of Dogs; pp. 156-7.

a terrier saves a nice cat for later, 1850's

A neighbour of mine has a terrier which has shown many odd peculiarities in his habits. He has contracted a great friendship for a white cat, and evinced his affection for it the other day in a curious manner. The dog was observed to scratch a large deep hole in the garden. When he had finished it he sought out the cat, dragged her by the neck to the hole, endeavoured to place her in it, and to cover her with the soil. The cat, not liking this proceeding, at last made her escape.
-- from Anecdotes of Dogs, Edward Jesse (London: Henry G. Bohn, York Street, Covent Garden, 1858), p. 83

a jack russell on the beach

"beach dog" copyright and by kindest permission of clair hartmann

Clair Hartmann loves dogs. You understand that within seconds of visiting her Etsy shop and her website. Her dog portraits are immediate, up close and colorful, full of character and personality.

So why did I choose this work: "Beach Dog"?

I chose it in the total conviction that she captures a little dog's soul. See how alertly, yet easily he rests on the shore and gazes out to forever. He doesn't know there's another land far away, but he's fine with that. He just trusts in the moment, as dogs do, and we don't do enough. I felt as though I had done a short but satisfying Zen meditation after looking upon this work for a few moments.

a cat naps in estonia

thanks wikimedia. {{PD:US}} public domain

There was one pinpoint of sun that October day in 1908, and the cat found it. Then Paul Raud (Estonian; 1865-1930) decided to take up his brush and keep that moment for himself. Raud's influences ranged from 17th-century Dutch portaits to German Impressionism, and he spent a fair amount of his career doing traditional portraits for patrons. In this piece, the background's reduced to a gesture in autumn sepia. The serious brushwork is all about the cat: those stripes! Those perfectly articulated ears! No Dutch merchant could ask for more attention in his own portrait.

Curious about Paul Raud? Me too, but I am at a loss since I don't read Estonian. Here is a little info I have found.

1523: a tender, watchful rabbit

thanks again wikimedia commons: {{PD-US}} (public domain)

This beautiful creature is a detail from a work of about 1523 by the Italian Mannerist Parmigianino. The original painting portrays the Circumcision of Christ; you can see it at the Detroit Institute of Arts. As Mannerist paintings do, it has dramatic lighting, swirling motion and color, and lots of bright drapery played off against pearly white flesh. I rather like Mannerism, myself, for the sheer visual entertainment value. But this rabbit provides one quiet spot in the composition with its little ears all pushed back and its frightened eye. I want to pick it up and hide it from the fray.

Why is that rabbit there? I had to refresh myself on the possible meanings, and in the process came across what must be the best article I have ever read on rabbit symbolism in art. There I was reminded that people once believed female rabbits could conceive and give birth without male rabbits to help, and that the gentle rabbit also stood for unquestioning faith. Aha. The article is by Terri Windling, and it's a most interesting and pleasant read. (The part to which I referred is toward bottom of page 2.)

a cautionary tale, or is it tail?

Now here's something I've wanted to share with you all for a while, but only today did I find a clip of it that I liked: Garrison Keillor sings a jaunty song of a cat who finds out high living isn't all it's cracked up to be.

Cat, you better come on home.

vintage photo time

ampersand i love you

Nothing known about this snap. It looks early 60s to me, probably because my own family had so many photos of this sort: yay, we're all together squinting into the sun! Good times! Hey, we love our kitty so much we put it dead center of the shot!

. . . Wait, so what's that cat doing with all this attention?

. . . Eating.

Cats: Pragmatism in action.