No one knows who painted this, but it had to have been created in the years 1710 - 1712. I know that because this is a painting of Anna Elisabeth Theophila of Neuburg, daughter of Charles III Philip, Elector of the Palatine. Anna only lived from 1709 to 1712, and she's got to be at least 18 months old in this image. Why dress such a tiny child in a nun's habit? She may have been dedicated to the Church at a very early age, which used to occur frequently.
Whomever this lost artist was, he or she did a lovely job of creating a spirit of togetherness here. Of course the little girl's pose is formalized, but look at the entirely typical way she grips the fur on the pup's back while she introduces her pet to the viewer with an open hand. The dog, too, has its paws up in her lap, happy to be with her - or happy enough to stay still for a sitting or two! I wish I could find out where this painting is now. And I wish these two had not lost each other so soon.
2 comments:
Children's diseases being what they were back then, I'm glad the poor mite had the puppy to love.
Poor little girl.
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