Art Series

Toy Dogs In Art Part III: Children And The Cavalier King Charles

The artist Sir Joshua Reynolds painted dogs into his portraits especially when he was painting children, which he did often. The most frequently seen dog was the King Charles spaniels. In one of his famous paintings, a portrait of 'Maria Gideon and her brother' in Viscount Cowdray's collection, the dog was a rather large long-nosed version of the King Charles. The King Charles spaniel has one paw raised as if clearly ready for a game with the boy whom he looks as if he obviously adores in spite of the fact that boy is carrying a stick. The boy is probably about to throw the stick and the King Charles spaniel is waiting anxiously for this to occur.

In Sir Joshua Reynolds painting of the family of George, 3rd Duke of Marlborough, which is part of the collection of the Duke of Marlborough, Reynolds uses Cavaliers.

Although Sir Joshua Reynolds depicts the Cavaliers a lot in his paintings, he may have had a favorite dog that looked like a Shih Tzu. This dog appears in the portraits of 'Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester' in the collection of Windsor Castle, 'Emelia Vansittart', Mrs. Crewe, and in the portrait of Mrs. Abington as Miss Prue in Love for Love. Most portrait painters made a habit to have their painting studio well-equipped with lay figures, costumes, drapes and other accessories. The person actually being painted only posed for short periods of time. The actual physical details which included these other accessories were painted at the painter's leisure without the model needing to be present. This little dog that appears to look like a Shih Tzu was in a good many of his portraits. One can assume this dog must have been his "pet," which remained in the studio with him as did all the other accessories. The Shih Tzu just adores an audience and attention. He probably just loved being this painter's pet and painting accessory while getting a lot of attention from the society beauties and children of his time.

Other dogs painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds were the pug, a toy poodle or perhaps a bichon. The dog was small, white and long-coated, and appeared in a great number of his paintings.

Other interesting toy dogs appear in many paintings which tell us a story of the important part that the toy dogs played in people's social life. From allegory, down to fairly recent paintings of either the genre type of the family portrait, the dog and often toy dogs has appeared in his part of the family.

The families painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds had their spaniels and terriers. Diana had her greyhounds. The French had their poodles. We learn from these paintings that the toy dog and other dogs were regular companions of men, women and families and sit in very acceptable positions as members of the household.

There are many things written about dogs and toy dogs, but nothing can take the place of a "visual story," a beautiful painting, to tell us just how important the toy dog has been to us as a companion all down through time. And....in the 16th century the paintings are proof that toy spaniels really did exist.

It is not a sudden fad or any surprise the pet and pet care businesses today are one of the most booming businesses of our time. Toy dogs and dogs in general have always held important positions in our lives and in our hearts.

One good example of a painting that tells us the story of how little dogs were quite comical and irresistibly loveable little clowns is the little dog in 'Portrait of a Man and Woman' by Jacob Jordaens in the National Gallery, of London. It was included by the artist but seems to not be really involved with the sitters in the painting, although the toy dog could have belonged to the couple. The toy dog sits at the man's feet, looking out of the painting with the most delightful and comical expression. It could have been a Maltese or a bichon frise. The story this painting tells us for certain is that there was a little toy dog (of some sort) that at least one portrait painter found "irresistible." These are characteristics of all toy dogs and part of what make them so popular to us today. You will not find this type of charm in a German Shepherd or a Beagle hound!

Toy Dogs in Art Series continued in Part IV.

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About the Author

Connie Limon Visit us at
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