Shape Number: 130
Width: 40 cm
This large and rare Minton, English porcelain (bone china) figure of an Italian greyhound made c.1832 is finely modelled and raised on a claret-coloured cushion with white neo-rococo scrolling edges. The impressive size of this greyhound may indicate limited production especially as Minton had only recently started to make figures. The size of the piece also suggests that it was possibly meant to be displayed on the floor, as a trompe l’oeil figure.
Most of the Staffordshire factories were producing figurines of dogs during the 19th century due to the popularity of the subject. The Victorian period especially became a golden age of dogs represented in prints, paintings, sculpture and ceramics. Italian greyhounds were a popular breed from the 18th and 19th century with many notable owners including Queen Victoria (who had up to 75 dogs at one time), Catherine the Great and Anne of Denmark. Catherine’s favoured dog (Zemira) was immortalised more than once in porcelain.
The shape drawing is from The Minton Archive.