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Bashaw

Bashaw is a lifesize sculpted portrait of a Newfoundland dog by Matthew Cotes Wyatt, commissioned in 1831 by John Ward, 4th Viscount Dudley and Ward. Intended for Dudley House in London, it was unfinished when Lord Dudley died in 1833 and remained with Wyatt until his death in 1862. Made of coloured marbles and hardstones, with topaz, sardonyx, and black lava eyes, bronze snake with ruby eyes, and gilt bronze cushions, it was originally set with gems. The work was exhibited at the Great Exhibition in 1851 and later sold several times before being bought by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1960.

Bashaw, a sculpture of a black and white dog standing with its paws on a coiled snake in a museum display.
Bashaw, the faithful friend of man, shown in a museum display with the dog standing over a snake.
February 2024 © · CC0
Bashaw sculpture of a black and white dog standing over a snake on a decorative pedestal.
Bashaw, a sculpture of a dog standing over a snake, displayed on an ornate pedestal.
© · CC BY-SA 3.0
Bashaw sculpture of a dog standing over a coiled snake on a carved cushion.
Bashaw, a sculpture of a dog shown standing over a snake on a carved cushion.
February 2024 © · CC0
Bashaw, a black and white dog statue, stands on a gold-colored cushion with its paw on a coiled snake.
Bashaw on display in a museum, shown standing on a decorative cushion with its paw on a snake.
September 2022 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Close-up of the Bashaw dog sculpture with a textured black-and-white surface and raised head turned left.
Close-up of Bashaw, showing the dog sculpture’s textured black-and-white surface in a museum gallery.
February 2024 © · CC0

Identification

TitleBashaw
Typestatue
Subjectthe dog Bashaw, a black-and-white Newfoundland

Historical context

Commissioned byJohn Ward, 4th Viscount Dudley and Ward
Commission date1831
Intended locationDudley House, London
Completion statusunfinished at Lord Dudley's death in 1833; Wyatt spent another year finishing it after the heirs declined to buy it

Creator

SculptorMatthew Cotes Wyatt
Artist's backgroundson of the architect James Wyatt; painter and designer as well as sculptor

Discovery and provenance

Auction historyattempted sale at Christie's in 1887 by James Wyatt, then sold to John Corbett of Impney Hall, Droitwich, Worcestershire; later sold to Edward Stevens of Prescott House, Stourbridge in 1906; resold in 1957; purchased by the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1960 for £200
Ownership after commissionremained in Wyatt's possession until his death in 1862
Later provenanceafter Wyatt's death, it passed to his son James
Posed for by the subjectmore than 50 times during the first two years of work

Physical characteristics

Scalelife-size
Depictiona placid Newfoundland dog standing on a cushion with its right front paw pressing down on a snake, gaze directed upward and to the side
Basean elaborately shaped pedestal with leaf and fruit appliqués

Materials

Cushionmarble edged with gold-plated bronze
Original decorationoriginally set with gems
Pedestal decorationstone and gold-plated bronze appliqués
Snakebronze
Snake eyesruby
Dog eyestopaz, sardonyx, and black lava
Main materialsblack and white marble; bronze; gold-plated bronze; topaz; sardonyx; black lava; ruby

Appearance

Fur treatmentthe coat was to be made of naturally colored fur
Dog colorblack and white
Snake typeprobably a cobra
Pose interpretationthe placid dog contrasts with the coiled energy of the snake

Iconography and meaning

Title referencethe title refers to the bronze cobra beneath the dog's feet
Exhibition titleThe Faithful Friend to Man Trampling Underfoot his Most Insidious Enemy

Location and ownership

Current locationVictoria and Albert Museum, London

History and restoration

Exhibited atThe Great Exhibition in 1851
Exhibition rolecentrepiece of an exhibition of Wyatt's works in 1834
Exhibition resultunsold at the Great Exhibition; later unsold at the 1887 Christie's sale

Significance

Raritydescribed as unique among nineteenth-century dogs' portraits
Catalogue descriptiondescribed as "the most elaborate [portrayal] of a quadruped ever produced by ancient or modern art"
Base significancethe elaborate base reflects Wyatt's abilities in decorative arts
Dog portrait traditiondog portraits were occasionally painted in the nineteenth century, but this sculpted work was exceptional