Dutch Mastiff (called ‘Old Vertue’) with Dunham Massey in the background (1700)
Jan Wyck (Haarlem 1645 - Mortlake 1700)
This unusual and dramatic portrait of a favourite faithful dog named Pugg or Old Vertue was painted by the Dutch artist Jan Wyck (c.1645– 1700) and commissioned by a member of the Booth family at Dunham Massey, Cheshire, around 1700. The dog was a type of bulldog or Dutch mastiff, a breed that was cultivated on the estate for several decades. Previous family owners of Dutch mastiffs had described them as ‘Dum, sensible and sincere creatures’, and they were employed as lapdogs and probably also to control vermin and sheep.
In this portrait, Pugg’s brindle coat is well lit, and he stands theatrically positioned against the skyline with the house in the distance, looking alertly to the left. He can also be seen in the background, busily chasing sheep in an open landscape. The Booth family clearly cherished their pet dogs, as several other portraits (such as Turpin, a speckled Great Dane) still survive at Dunham Massey. Pugg died in 1702 and has a tombstone in the grounds of the house, beginning a tradition of pet burials that continued into the 19th century.
My gf saw this painting hanging at a historic house in England. Last night we were stoned talking about how cool it is to see historic photos of early versions of modern dog breeds. She recalled this 1700 painting of a Dutch Mastiff. Luckily, the historic house has a digitized copy of it in their digital collections.
I love this dog! The perspective in this painting makes him look godzilla sized, and makes that bird above him look like a pterodactyl. He’s so huge and hulking but his eyes are so sensitive! He’s like a gorilla with a dog’s face. His ears look like cartoon bear ears! His gaze is completely unfocused despite the bird careening across his field of view. I love him.
There’s a tiny version of him running around herding sheep in the background while he lumps up in the foreground. I want to see a similar portrait of this dog’s owner posing regally in the foreground while in the background we see a tiny version of him, like, mailing a letter at the post office or something.