Chatsworth celebrated dogs of all shapes and sizes in its exhibition The Dog: A Celebration at Chatsworth, which ran from 23 March to 6 October 2019.
Inspired by the Duchess of Devonshire’s love of dogs, the exhibition explored stories of working dogs and companions through paintings, letters, jewellery, sculpture, ceramics and other objects. It was co-curated by the Duchess and art historian Tessa Wild.
The works included paintings and objects by Constable, Stubbs, Gainsborough and Landseer alongside pieces by Lucian Freud, Jeff Koons, Antony Gormley and Elisabeth Frink.
In the garden, the Duke and Duchess commissioned the artist Ben Long to create an eight-metre high scaffolding sculpture of a dog. Using the most ubiquitous of materials, this site-specific piece had a monumental scale and grace not normally associated with its construction material, and was a vivid addition to the landscape.
The exhibition explored the Cavendish family’s relationship with dogs over several centuries.
The original 2019 preview described a portrait of the first Duke as a child with his dog, a poem by Duchess Georgiana, a historical recipe for a dog bite and letters about Punch, a puppy belonging to the ninth Duke and Duchess. It also described portraits of the sixth Duke’s dogs and family photographs.
The Duchess lent personal pieces to the exhibition. The preview described material relating to working dogs she had bred and trained.
In the 2019 announcement, the Duchess said:
“I have lived with and loved dogs for as long as I can remember. They are an integral part of my life and every day I see the importance of dogs reflected in the Collection at Chatsworth. When I look out into the park or walk my own dogs Max and Treacle, I am always conscious of the pleasure that so many people get from walking their dogs. I hope this exhibition gives people an opportunity to share in our love of dogs and add their own stories to this enduring relationship.”
The exhibition considered dogs in myths, legends and cartoons as well as their role as companions. The preview described objects including silver collars, a Fabergé border terrier with diamond eyes and four-poster dog beds.
Objects from the Devonshire Collection and the family’s private collection were displayed alongside loans. The original preview named the Kennel Club, the Victoria and Albert Museum and the National Science and Media Museum among the lenders.
Edwin Landseer’s Laying Down the Law (or Trial by Jury) was one of the highlights. It uses the characters of different dog breeds to satirise members of the legal profession. The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1840 and acquired by the sixth Duke of Devonshire.
One of the exhibits was a Red Cross collar worn by a dog trained to find dead and wounded soldiers during the First World War. The British Red Cross describes how dogs carried medical supplies and water into no man’s land and guided stretcher parties to injured soldiers.
During 2019, Chatsworth worked with the charities Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and Medical Detection Dogs. The exhibition was sponsored by Sotheby’s; the original preview also named C.W. Sellors and Skinner’s as supporters.
The original preview said the 2019 #Chatswoof season would also include talks, tours, dog walks and agility activities.
For current visitor information, see Chatsworth.
Chatsworth, Bakewell, Derbyshire, DE45 1PP
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