A PAIR OF 22” DALMATIAN CARRIAGE DOGS

de Gournay ‘s Large ‘Shrewsbury’ Hounds are modelled on an important pair of hounds dating from 1765, which were the property of the Earls of Shrewsbury until being auctioned for a small fortune in London during the 1960’s. Famously those original pieces were unregarded for many years and left to guard a water trough in the stable yard before their full value was uncovered. de Gournay’s almost life-size models are seated proudly on their haunches, the pair facing alternately left and right, heads raised with alert expressions, floppy ears, their mouths open showing fine teeth with curled-up tails. They are naturalistically sculptured with the ribs and spine well delineated through the short-haired coats in which the fur is painted in great detail in shades of grisaille with the snout, chest, paws and underbelly left as undecorated blanc de chine. They wear iron-red and gilt collars suspending part gilt tassels and gilt models of bells.