Dog Art Today

Category: 19th Century Dog Art

  • Surprising Results at Christie’s Dog Sale

    Waiting

    Edwin Landseer’s high profile Neptune estimated to sell for between $800,000 – 1.2 million did not find a buyer at Christie’s Dog Sale today. Richard Ansdell’s Two King Charles Spaniels, and Aurthur Wardle’s Bulldogs of the Twentieth Century remained unsold as well.

    But John Singer Sargent’s Pointy was a star, selling for $432,000, well above the $60,000 – $80,000 asking price! Jean-Léon Gérôme’s, Etude de Chien d Terra-Nuova, the gorgeous Newfoundland portrait, also exceeded expectations, selling for $204,000, above the $120,000 – $180,000 estimates.

    And a big surprise was Thomas Blinks’s Waiting for the Guns (above), which was estimated to sell for $200,000 – $300,000. And it went for $564,000! This is a World Auction Record for the artist, doubling his previous record.

    Overall, Clare McKeon, VP, British & Irish Art, is said to have been pleased with Christie’s inaugural Dog Sale which saw strong bidding from American private clients and broke World Auction Records for the artists Thomas Blinks, Thomas Hewes Hinckley and Niki de Saint Phalle (see next post below).

  • Monica McLaughlin’s Christie’s Dog Sale Highlights

    Bassetson

    The fabulous Monica McLaughlin is the organizer of NYCs Plans For Pups MeetUp Group group. Today she was my East Coast correspondent for the Christie’s Dog Sale. Here is her description of the event:

    “Wow! That was quick. It began promptly at 10 a.m. and was over by 11:30!

    Highlights include:

    – Lot 18 (Neptune by Landseer) expected: $800,000 – 1,200,000 — did not sell
    – Lot 27 (Waiting for the Guns by Blinks) expected: $200,000 – 300,00 — went for $564,000;
    – Lot 59, (Pointy by Sargent) expected was $60,000 – 80,000 — went for $432,000
    – Lot 78 (Sandy by Marion Rodger Hamilton Harvey) expected: $600 – 1,000 — went for $2,280
    – Lot 85 (Jack by Ludovic Napoleon Vincent Lepic) expected: $3,000 – 5,000 — went for $10,200;
    – Lot 96 (Basset et Son by Niki de Saint Phalle) expected: $10,000 – 15,000 — went for $52,800.

    There were only about 20 people in the audience plus about 10 people manning the phones/web.

    The set up was very similar to that of a courtroom with the Judge (auctioneer) in the front, the Jury (telephone operators) on the sides and the Public (audience) seating in the middle.

    A large screen to the front left of the auctioneer showed a photograph of the art being sold. The only pieces actually in the room were those pieces that had been hung on the walls prior to the sale and “Pointy” which was on an easel in the front.

    A large electronic board to the left listed the piece being sold as well as the up-to-the second exchange rates in Euros, British Pound and Swiss Francs amongst a few other currencies.”

    Sounds cool. Thanks for your report Monica 🙂

    [Niki de Saint Phalle’s Basset et Son (above) set a World Auction Record for this edition. Incredible! I absolutely love them! — Moira]

  • Christie’s Dog Sale Spotlight: Richard Ansdell’s Two King Charles Spaniels in a Landscape

    Kingcharlespost

    Trends collide in this lively and lovely dog portrait by Richard Ansdell. When Queen Victoria was given a King Charles Spaniel named Dash right before she became queen at the age of 17, the breed became wildly popular. When she had Sir Edwin Landseer include the pup in his spectacular painting Her Majesty’s Favourite Pets, 1837, (below) dog owners clamored to similarly memorialize their pets.
    Hermajesty

    Van Dyck style portraits with grand landscape backgrounds, like Lady Killigrew,1638, (below) were also fashionable at the time.

    Ladykilligrew_2

    And much the way dog-lovers today Warhol-ize their pets, a vividly realized, Van Dyck-esque King Charles Spaniel painting was the must-have item for trendy Victorian ladies. Ansdell’s was probably one of these. And it, too, is spectacular! Christie’s esitmates it will sell at auction this Friday for between $150,00-$250,000.

  • Christie’s Dog Sale Spotlight: Jean-Léon Gérôme’s Etude de Chien de Terra-Nuova

    Etude

    Jean-Léon Gérôme was a French painter best known for his Neo-Classical and Orientalist style. His Etude de Chien de Terra-Nuova (1852) is another highlight of Christie’s Dog Sale this Friday, estimateed to sell at auction for between $120,000 – $180,000. Although this Newfoundland Dog is said to be painted “without sentimentality,” the scale, the dignity, and the majestic Academic style belie what appears to me as a profound connection between the artist and subject. Some believe this was the artist’s dog. I think that’s a good guess.

    I love this painting because it’s so different from Gérôme’s usual exotic and highly dramatic subjects, like Pollice Verso (below) –- Latin for “Thumbs Down” — one of the paintings that famously convinced Russell Crowe to be in Gladiator.

    Policepost

  • Christie’s Dog Sale Spotlight: John Singer Sargent’s Pointy

     

    Pointy

    I’m still going through all 96 lots at Christie's, but today’s favorite dog painting at auction this Friday is Pointy by John Singer Sargent. I love that the celebrated portrait artist deigned to paint a pet, and the thick, almost graffiti-like inscription gives it such a contemporary feel.

    There is also a bittersweet love story behind this work. Pointy was the pet of ex-pat socialite Louise Burckhardt with whom Sargent had an affair in the early 1880s. (The Pointy painting was a gift to her.) There was even talk of an engagement, but Louise would marry Roger Ackerley in 1889 and die shortly thereafter.

    Louise

    Sargent’s 1882 portrait of Louise, Lady With The Rose, (above) was a sensation at the Paris Salon and added immeasurably to his reputation… and, I’m sure, his love life.

  • Landseer’s Neptune Might Break Christie’s Records!

    Neptune

    The dog art world is buzzing this week about Christie’s New York Dog Sale on June 22. The auction house expects to net over $3 million, which would be a record for the dog art category.

    Neptune (1824), the life size Newfoundland portrait by Sir Edwin Landseer, is one of the show’s stars, with estimates to bring $800,000 to $1.2 million. Stay tuned. This will be fun to follow!

  • Good-bye Dan, The Littlest Emperor

     

    Danny was my sister Sheila's dog. Last night she said good-bye to him. He was 12 and he was sick. It was devastating. Danny was a character. Barely 4 pounds, he was absolutely adorable. Children were crazy about him — like a teddy bear come to life. But he was deceivingly powerful. Really, somehow he managed to alpha-dog his entire family. It was stunning and hilarious. Here is the photo Sheila sent an online suitor named Greg. Obviously Greg fell in love with them both and married her and adopted him. They came to have a special bond. (Sheila and Greg did too.)

     

    Sheiladan

     

    Once, we made Danny an emperor's costume for a video project I was making. We thought he would be fussy wearing a fur-lined cape and a golden laurel crown. He loved it! Didn't want to take it off, and for years he wore it on his walks. He was very popular with the West Hollywood boys on Santa Monica Blvd. They admired his style.

     

    Danemperor
     

    Danny, you weren't always the easiest dog, but you brought great joy to many people. And the family you helped create by being so cute in that single photo sent to a stranger is your legacy. Our hearts are heavy that you're gone. Rest in peace, Little Guy.

     

    Meredithdan
     

    (photos: Mark Jacobson, Moira McLaughlin, Greg Cameron.)

  • Dog Art is Hot $$$

    Foxhounds

    John Emms 1898 oil “New Forest Foxhounds” sells at auction for $842,250 and sets new world record for dog themed art. Read about the sizzling Dog Art market in Brook Mason’s Los Angeles Times article.