Bashaw, a

Newfoundland dog The Newfoundland is a large working dog. They can be black, brown, or black and white. However, in the Dominion of Newfoundland, before it became part of the confederation of Canada, only black and Landseer (white-and-black) coloured dogs were ...

, sat some fifty times for his portrait. His owner, Lord Dudley and Ward, commissioned the marble sculpture from

Matthew Cotes Wyatt Matthew Cotes Wyatt (1777 – 3 January 1862) was a painter and sculptor and a member of the Wyatt family, who were well known in the Victorian era as architects and sculptors. Early life Wyatt was born in London, the son of the architect James ...

in 1831. The work was to have been displayed in Lord Dudley's house in

Park Lane Park Lane is a dual carriageway road in the City of Westminster in Central London. It is part of the London Inner Ring Road and runs from Hyde Park Corner in the south to Marble Arch in the north. It separates Hyde Park to the west from May ...

, but he died the year before it was finished, in 1833, and ''Bashaw'' remained in the possession of the sculptor until his death in 1862. Dogs' portraits were occasionally painted during the nineteenth century, but this elaborate lifesize sculpted piece, originally set with gems is unique. In 1851 it was shown at the

Great Exhibition The Great Exhibition of the Works of Industry of All Nations, also known as the Great Exhibition or the Crystal Palace Exhibition (in reference to the temporary The Crystal Palace, structure in which it was held), was an International Exhib ...

, where it was entitled ''The Faithful Friend to Man Trampling Underfoot his Most Insidious Enemy'', in reference to the bronze cobra beneath the dog's feet. The placid expression of the dog, and the elegant cushion on which he stands, contrast with the coiled energy of the snake. The sculpture remained unsold at the sale of Wyatt's effects after his death in 1862, and fell into the possession of his son, James, who put it up for sale at

Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...

in 1887. It was unsold, but subsequently passed into the possession of John Corbett of Impney Hall, Droitwitch, Worcestershire, and was then sold to Edward Stevens of Prescott House, Stourbridge, in 1906. In 1957 the sculpture was sold again; it was bought by the Victoria and Albert Museum for £200 in 1960. Matthew Cotes Wyatt was the son of the architect James Wyatt, and was a painter and designer as well as a sculptor. The elaborate base made for Bashaw reflects his abilities in the field of decorative arts. In 1834 Wyatt held an exhibition of his works with ''Bashaw'' as the centrepiece. It was described in the catalogue as "the most elaborate ortrayalof a quadruped ever produced by ancient or modern art". The sculpture is made of coloured marbles and hardstones. The dog's eyes are topaz,

sardonyx Onyx primarily refers to the parallel banded variety of chalcedony, a Silicate minerals, silicate mineral. Agate and onyx are both varieties of layered chalcedony that differ only in the form of the bands: agate has curved bands and onyx has pa ...

and black lava, while the snake is bronze with ruby eyes. The cushions are of gilt bronze.

References

Bibliography

* {{ISBN, 1-85177-365-7 Sculptures of the Victoria and Albert Museum Sculptures of dogs Dog monuments Animal sculptures in the United Kingdom