Small Standing Dog by Elisabeth Frink. Bronze, edition of 8, 1991. Cast from a plaster maquette with process of patination applied to achieve the terracotta colour. Provided to Dorset Museum in accordance with the wishes of the artist’s late son, Lin Jammet, 2020.
Frink’s dogs are wise, dignified and remind us of our dependence on the animal world. Inspired by her pet Vizsla, Frink’s standing dog expresses loyalty, “one of the animals who’ve been closest to man for thousands of years.”
Small Standing Dog relates to a large bronze dog made for Dorset County Hospital, which Frink donated to the hospital when it was built in 1987. She was a Founder Patron of the charity – Arts in Hospital. The charity is based at Dorset County Hospital, and holds a large collection of contemporary paintings, prints and sculptures, hoping to raise the spirits of patients within the hospital’s care.
Accession number for Small Standing Dog by Elisabeth Frink 2020.1.27.
Frink’s home at Woolland, Dorset, became a place where bronze animals mingled with horses, sheep, chickens and pet dogs. Frink explored the relationship between humans and animals and their dependence on each other. She was interested in collective mental images stretching back thousands of years capturing the spirit of a horse, the loyalty of dogs or wisdom of a baboon.
From childhood, the countryside influenced Frink’s love of nature, and her wartime memories of horse riding and shooting for food to supplement war rations are echoed in some of her work. While living in France she became fascinated by the interaction between rider and horse when rounding up bulls in the Camargue region. Living in Dorset she continued to explore how humans depended on animals through her art.
The horses, dogs, birds, baboons and other species she created have presence and dignity. She believed that if humans could see themselves as equal to animals, there would be less injustice and aggression in the world. She reminded us of our dependence on the natural world, which we are part of and not superior to.
This object was highlighted by Denise Marsh, Visitor Services Assistant at Dorset Museum & Art Gallery. She said:
“When I first came to live in Dorchester, 30 years ago, my husband and I brought a Vizsla puppy, Otis, into our home. He was a great character and was my close companion during the times when my husband was deployed overseas with the Royal Navy. When our baby was born Otis took on the role of guardian and was a bodyguard for both our young son and myself.
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
The great bustard has a dignified slow walk but tends to run when disturbed, rather than fly.
The hen-bird on display at The Salisbury Museum was one of the last great bustards to be eaten in the town!