The Totteridge XI
Encyclopedia
The Totteridge XI is a 1897 oil on canvas work by English painter Arthur Wardle
. The painting shows eleven of Francis Redmond's Smooth Fox Terrier show dogs, although the artist remarked several years after creating it that the dogs were significantly closer to the breed standard
in the painting than they were in real life. The painting is now owned by The Kennel Club
, and is on display at their art gallery in London.
, and was commissioned by Fox Terrier
breeder Francis Redmond. Redmond took a high level of interest in the painting, with Wardle remarking many years later, "Mr Redmond stood over me and made me 'perfect' all his dogs – shorten their backs, lengthen their necks and muzzles, make their ears and feet smaller than they really were – and so on. None of them were half as good as in their picture". Such were the corrections insisted upon by Redmond, that an outline of a completed painted over dog can be seen to the right of the painting, and where corrections where made to individual dogs, the original lines are still hazily visible.
Although Redmond was Chairman of the Kennel Club between 1922–1925, the painting came into the possession of the club in 1940 from Captain Tudor Crosthwaite on behalf of Redmond's niece, Sarah Talbot. The painting was the star exhibit during a temporary exhibition at the Kennel Club in London, entitled "The Fox Terrier in Art". A copy was made from the original for the American Kennel Club
collection in 1937.
pose. It was described by Edward Cecil Ash in his book Dogs: their history and development (1927) as being one of Wardle's finest works.
Arthur Wardle
Arthur Wardle was an English painter.Born in London, aged just sixteen Wardle had a piece displayed at the Royal Academy. His first exhibit was a study of cattle by the River Thames, leading to a lifelong interest in painting animals...
. The painting shows eleven of Francis Redmond's Smooth Fox Terrier show dogs, although the artist remarked several years after creating it that the dogs were significantly closer to the breed standard
Breed standard (dogs)
A breed standard in the dog fancy is a set of guidelines covering specific externally observable qualities such as appearance, movement, and temperament for that dog breed...
in the painting than they were in real life. The painting is now owned by The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club
The Kennel Club is a kennel club based in London and Aylesbury, United Kingdom.The Kennel Club registration system divides dogs into seven breed groups. The Kennel Club Groups are: Hound, Working, Terrier, Gundog, Pastoral, Utility and Toy...
, and is on display at their art gallery in London.
Background
The Totteridge XI was painted by experienced animal painter Arthur WardleArthur Wardle
Arthur Wardle was an English painter.Born in London, aged just sixteen Wardle had a piece displayed at the Royal Academy. His first exhibit was a study of cattle by the River Thames, leading to a lifelong interest in painting animals...
, and was commissioned by Fox Terrier
Fox Terrier
Fox Terrier refers primarily to two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern...
breeder Francis Redmond. Redmond took a high level of interest in the painting, with Wardle remarking many years later, "Mr Redmond stood over me and made me 'perfect' all his dogs – shorten their backs, lengthen their necks and muzzles, make their ears and feet smaller than they really were – and so on. None of them were half as good as in their picture". Such were the corrections insisted upon by Redmond, that an outline of a completed painted over dog can be seen to the right of the painting, and where corrections where made to individual dogs, the original lines are still hazily visible.
Although Redmond was Chairman of the Kennel Club between 1922–1925, the painting came into the possession of the club in 1940 from Captain Tudor Crosthwaite on behalf of Redmond's niece, Sarah Talbot. The painting was the star exhibit during a temporary exhibition at the Kennel Club in London, entitled "The Fox Terrier in Art". A copy was made from the original for the American Kennel Club
American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club is a registry of purebred dog pedigrees in the United States. Beyond maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions events for purebred dogs, including the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, an annual event which predates the official...
collection in 1937.
Aesthetics
The painting depicts eleven Smooth Fox Terrier show dogs from Francis Redmond's kennel. The dogs are (clockwise from back left), Dryad, Ch. Daddy, Dame, Dalby, Divorcee, Diamond Court, Ch. Donnington, Ch. D'Orsay, Ch. Dame Fortune, Ch. Donna Fortune, and Ch. Dominie. Each dog was situated so that it appeared in a conformation showConformation show
Conformation shows, also referred to as breed shows, are a kind of dog show in which a judge familiar with a specific dog breed evaluates individual purebred dogs for how well the dogs conform to the established breed type for their breed, as described in a breed's individual breed standard.A...
pose. It was described by Edward Cecil Ash in his book Dogs: their history and development (1927) as being one of Wardle's finest works.