The terror of the Maltese Terrier

One of our enduring favourites over here at Wakefield HQ is Dogs in Australian Art. Even the cat-lovers agree: it's a brilliant book. From Ivor Hele's sketch of a great dane to Lin Onus's painting of a dingo surfing, there are some real Aussie icons in the mix, and a lot of them have a great sense of humour. The same could be said of Rodney Pople's I feel so pretty, so witty (2004), and yet, it's equally likely his painting of a Maltese Terrier will give you nightmares! Steven Miller delves deeper in this extract --

The influence which artists have had upon dog welfare, grooming and breeding is rarely acknowledged. In the nineteenth century Edwin Landseer changed the fashion in Newfoundlands with his painting Distinguished Member of the Humane Society. Before this, the Newfoundland had always been considered a black dog, but Landseer’s celebrated image brought dogs with black and white colouring into vogue, and even today Newfoundlands with this colouring are known as ‘Landseers’. More important were his efforts on behalf of the Maltese Terrier. This breed became so rare that Landseer painted a portrait of one entitled The Lion Dog from Malta – The Last of His Race. This had the effect of encouraging British breeders to import and promote the dog. It has not looked back since. One of the most influential dog books from the nineteenth century even proclaimed, ‘of all the canine pets this breed is the most lovable, being extremely animated and sagacious, full of natural tricks, and perfectly free from the defects of the spaniel, viz., snoring and an offensive breath’.

The Maltese Terrier included in these paintings by James Guppy belonged to his mother-in-law. She had three of them and they often featured in his work. He even used them as models for a fierce Cerberus, the threeheaded dog that guards Hades. Guppy’s art is rich with symbolism and this work is no exception. The narrative suggested in the work developed from a series of photographs taken by the artist of his wife, a friend and his mother-in-law’s dogs. It clearly deals with the difficult spaces between people and what binds them together. Many elements in the work signal separation and, between individuals, it seems to suggest, there exists a great divide. Even the canvas is divided into two panels. However, a painted horse in the background, which introduces an apocalyptic intensity to the painting, and a Maltese dog in the foreground manage to bridge both worlds. In art horses have traditionally been used to denote unbridled passion and dogs, fidelity. The red horse here contrasts with the detached and cool couple, but at the same time it also connects them. The dog also bridges both halves, but points in the opposite direction.

For more about Steven Miller's Dogs in Australian Art, click here.