Thomas Gainsborough R.A.

Purchased by the Grandfather of the present owner c. 1940;
by descent

STRUCTURE The canvas is unlined. PAINT SURFACE The painting appears to be in good condition. There is one area of old retouching in the upper centre of the canvas, above the small of the dogs back, as well as a small number of very minor old retouchings to the edges of the canvas. There is one small chip to the background paint in the upper right of the canvas and there is a discoloured varnish overall. ULTRAVIOLET Examination under ultraviolet light confirms the opacity of the discoloured varnish mentioned above. FRAME In a British Baroque revival moulded and gilded frame. An independently conducted, professional conservators report is available for this lot upon request. If you would like to receive a copy please contact the department.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Gainsborough, born in Sudbury, Suffolk, had a countryman's love of dogs and included them in his landscapes, portraits and 'fancy' pictures throughout his career. He also painted around a dozen portraits of individual dogs. Sir Ellis Waterhouse, in his 1958 catalogue raisonné of Gainsborough's works, listed eight dog subjects by the artist. Further dog portraits have come to light since 1958, including Portrait of a Pug Belonging to Jonathan Spilsbury, c.1780-85, and this portrait, also of a Pug.

Gainsborough's fondness for painting dogs was life long. His earliest signed and dated composition was a portrait of a dog, Bumper, of 1745, inscribed on the back of the canvas as 'a most remarkable sagacious cur'. Most of the known portraits of individual dogs appear to be records of favourite pets and were probably commissioned by their devoted owners.  Although the owners of many of the animals in Gainsborough's dog portrait have been identified, a few remain anonymous, such as that of the Spitz Dog (c. 1760-7, Yale Center for British Art, Paul Mellon Collection, USA) and of the Pug dog here.

Like Bumper the dog here stands alone and alert and is shown as an active sporting dog in a landscape, rather than as a companionable pet. Gainsborough has made a careful study of the animal here with its strong jaw and muscular build. Not only has the artist closely observed the sturdy anatomy of the animal but he has clearly been struck by its character. He vividly conveys the Pug's alert intelligence through the solid pose and unflinching bright-eyed gaze.

As with nearly all Gainsborough's dog portraits, the Pug is placed in an imaginary landscape, which consists here of a sandy bank with distant water and tree-lined shore. The landscape is not simply a backdrop to the main subject but is a well-observed and delicately painted scene. Moreover, the outline of the sandy bank follows the contour of the animal and thus helps to emphasise it, as does the dark foliage and surrounding shadows that contrast with the dog's pale form.

Pugs were a popular breed in the eighteenth century, most famously painted by William Hogarth in his Self-Portrait (1745; Tate) and other works. Hogarth's dog Trump provides a good visual record of how pugs appeared at that time. They were larger than the present-day breed, with longer legs, straighter tails and a more extended muzzle. Although Hogarth seems to have enjoyed the pun on the name with his own pugnacious nature (he proudly displays the scar on his forehead in the Self-Portrait), pug dogs were good-natured animals and seem to have made excellent companions for both men and women.

We are grateful to Diane Perkins and Hugh Belsey for their assistance in the cataloguing of this painting.