Gifts of Grandeur: The François-Nicolas Génard Snuff Box, 1764

Snuff Box
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Many historians believe that the dogs and the cat enameled on the top of this box are those of Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of Louis XV of France.

The pets--Mimi and Ines were portrayed in engravings of 1755 and 1758 by Etienne Fessard. Still, there is no reason to believe that the box itself belonged to Madame de Pompadour as it was made in 1764--the year of her death. Others contend that the supposition is false and that the dogs actually represent fidelity and companionship. Regardless, there's no arguing that the ox is beautiful.

It is set with roundels of enamel crafted to resemble lapis lazuli. This comes from the skilled hand of François-Nicolas Génard who became a master goldsmith in 1754 and was sponsored by Noel Hardivilliers.

Sculpture of the Day: Hogarth's Dog, Trump

Hogarth's Dog, Trump
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Meet Trump. Trump was the pet dog of the artist William Hogarth (1697-1762). Trump, a pug, was the subject of many porcelain figures which were intended for sale to admirers of Hogarth's paintings and prints. We should note that though Trump is a pug, his muzzle is longer than those of today's pugs.


Hogarth was very devoted to Trump and depicted him prominently in the foreground of his self-portrait of 1745 (now in Tate Britain). In fact, Trump and his artist master were so closely associated that Hogarth was often depicted as the pug in caricatures of the day.

Painting of the Day: The Reverend Townshend's Dog

The Reverend Townshend's Dog
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Over the past three years, we have had a nice long look at the Reverend Chauncey Hare Townshend's magnificent collection of jewels which is on display in the V&A. Now, let's look at his beloved dog. Here, we see the Reverend's dog, A black King Charles spaniel as he chases a dragonfly in a plush interior which also shows, at right a pedestal table with a bowl laden with flowers before a window, and curtains on the left.


This is the work of François Bocion (1828-1890) who was born in Lausanne. He trained with Christian Gottlieb Steinlen (1779-1847) in Vevey and subsequently with François Bonnet (1811-1894) in Lausanne. Later, he became a teacher at the Ecole moyenne et industrielle of Lausanne, a position he held until his death.

The Revered Townshend's dog, called Bully, is mentioned and described in the correspondence of Charles Dickens who knew Townshend since the 1840s. I'm glad he is still remembered today.

Punch's Cousin, Chapter 376

"Hurry up, you old beast.". Iolanthe growled as Agnes Rittenhouse struggled to pick up Julian's nephew.


"You can do things quickly or you can do things correctly.". Agnes spat.

"For the love of God!" Iolanthe moaned, pushing past the old woman.

"Watch what you're doing!". Agnes shouted.

Iolanthe bent over the two sleeping babies. "Which one is it?"

"The smaller one is the one Odo brought." Agnes shrugged. As she watched Iolanthe lift the baby in her injured hands, Agnes frowned. "Now you got him, where's what's due me?"

"What?"Iolanthe squinted.

"What's due me." Agnes repeated slowly. "When you saw Odo, didn't he give you my payment."

"Oh, that." Iolanthe said quickly, unsure of the terms of Agnes's arrangement with Odo. "He'll bring that to you himself."

"Well, then, you aren't taken that baby away from here until he comes."

"You old fool!" Iolanthe snarled. "The Duke and his insipidly faithful companions are on their way here right now. Do you really want them to see this child?"

"Coming here?" Agnes trembled. "Why? How do they know where I am."

"Same way I knew." Iolanthe grumbled, heading for the door. Agnes blocked her way.

"Who told them?" Agnes spat.

Iolanthe just laughed.

"Odo? You mean he...you...you're not working with him? You tried to fool me? Odo betrayed me?"

"Of course! Don't you know you mean nothing to any of us?"

"I was betrayed!" Agnes gurgled as she reached for the baby. "I will not be betrayed! Piggies--all of you. Someone must pay for this!"





Did you miss Chapters 1-375? If so, you can read them here.

Unusual Artifacts: The Actaeon Fountain, 1560

Fountain
Germany, 1560
The Victoria & Albert Museum

A figure of Actaeon, with a stags head, surmounts this fountain's central column. In his left hand he holds a boar-spear and in his right a hunting horn. Two eager hounds spring up to attack him. When activated, water would emerge from the mouths of the hounds, from Actaeon and from the hunting horn.

Three nude female figures adorn the fountain's base, along with couchant stags. All of these figured spout water, too. The whole of the base is adorned with an acanthus frieze and five grotesque masks. On the underside, three putto masks are featured in high relief.

In the famous legend, Actaeon spied on Diana and her nymphs bathing, and was transformed into a stag and devoured by his own hounds. Such mythological themes were popular in Sixteenth Century fountains. This particular fountain is unusual inasmuch as it was made to be used indoors. Indoor fountains were produced in great quantities in Nuremberg foundries in the third quarter of the 16th century and were widely exported.

Object of the Day: Boy with Macaroni Dog, 1775

Boy with Macaroni Dog
1775
The Victoria & Albert Museum

This isn't like the "Fusilli Jerry." This adorable figure by William Duesbury & Co. (manufacturer) is rendered in soft-paste porcelain and painted with enamels and gilding. It depicts a boy with a Macaroni dog.


What makes him a Macaroni Dog? Well, he is dressed in fanciful costume inasmuch Ashe has an elaborate cocked hat on its head.

Macaroni, in mid-18th century England when and where this figure was made, was a term used to refer to a fashionable fellow who dressed and even spoke in an outlandishly affected and epicene manner and who, in doing so, exceeded the bounds of fashion. So, this dog's hat makes him something of a dandy. But he's cute enough to get away with it.

Mastery of Design: The Dame Joan Evans Pendant, 1540

This handsome pendant of gold shows traces of enamel in black and translucent blue, and is set with a hessonite garnet and a peridot, and hung with a sapphire. Its timeless design belies its age. While it looks as if it was made in the Nineteenth Century, it actually dates to the mid-Sixteenth Century.

The settings of the stones on this pendant are open at the back not only to increase the flow of light into the stone, but to allow direct contact with the wearer's skin. According to medieval and Renaissance beliefs, the magical properties of the stones were of great benefit to the wearer. Such pendants were often made as amulets to protect against danger. This particular pendant bears an inscription to ward off epilepsy and an invocation to God, Jesus and Mary.