Old Masters

Just let's not forget where they all (Papillons)come from.....

The Continental Toy Spaniel

The Continental Toy Spaniel was one former name for the Papillon. So was the Epagneul Nain (dwarf spaniel), Dwarf Continental Spaniels, Little Squirrel Dog (because his full, plumed squirrel-like tail) and Belgian Toy Spaniel. Another more significant moniker, we think, was the "Titian Spaniel" so named because of Tiziano Vicelli's (aka Titian) fondness for including the breed in many of his paintings - and he wasn't alone. Artists, Fragonard, Rubens, Watteau, Boucher, Van Dyke, Rembrandt, Mignard, and Paolo Veronese also included Papillons in their work which is one way we've be able to trace the breed back to the 16th Century.

Throughout most of its history, Papillons had drop ears making their Spaniel ancestry apparent, and these dogs were named "phalène" (which means "night moth") to denote the dropped ear. Towards the end of the 19th century, however, erect eared Papillons were developed and these dogs were named for their resemblance to the wings of a butterfly. Both types can appear in the same litter, though we've read that while the Papillon variety has been more common in recent history, the Phalène is enjoying a resurgence in popularity.

The first Papillons arrived in America most probably in the last two decades of the 1800’s, and the novelist, Edith Wharton, was one of the first recorded owners of the breed. In 1915, the Papillon was officially recognized by the #AKC. World War II, however, hampered the breeding and importation of Paps, and the breed club suspended operations during those years. A few dedicated breeders maintained most of the original American lines, and finally in 1948, the breed club was reformed at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

Images of the breed as portrayed by assorted artists throughout history.

NATIONAL PUREBRED DOGDAY

The painting by Nathaniel Dance-Holland "Miss Hargreaves". this piece is located in the Birmingham museum trust.

Old Masters/ Gerard ter Borch

Gerard ter Borch, 1617-1681.
Ter Borch developed his own distinctive type of interior genre, in which he shows us, with grace, the atmosphere of well-to-do, middle-class life in 17th-century Holland.

(Click on the photos to enlarge)

Curiosity, ca1660

About 1668

This is the best known of his Small Dog Paintings: The Flea Catcher.

The Spinner, ca 1652-1653

The Suitor's Visit, ca 1658

Woman sealing her letter with her Maid.

Woman playing her Theorbo to two Men, ca 1667-1668

Note:
 Toward the end of the 19th century, breed fanciers bred a version of the spaniel whose ears stood up. This dog was said to have been nicknamed papillon based on the impressively large, erect ears that resembled the wings of a butterfly. The drop-eared variety of the breed came to be called the Phalène(which means "night moth"). Both types are still bred today and appear in the same litter. The Papillon variety is much more common, although recently the Phalène has undergone a resurgence in popularity.
(Wikipedia)

Papillon Origin

Excerpts from "Brief History of the Papillon" by Rachel D. Kemmerer(as it appears in the 1963 Papillon Handbook.)
The origin of the Continental Toy Spaniel, of which the Papillon is the modern representative, can be traced through the paintings of the Old Masters of every country in Western Europe as far back as the earliest years of the 16th Century. Beginning about 1500, Vecellio, called Titian,painted a number of tiny spaniels, rather similar to the hunting spaniels of the day.  In this century and the next, dogs – so like the Titian spaniel that it is safe to assume this was a pure breed – made their appearance in Spain,France and the Low Countries.The continued popularity of the little spaniel in court circles gave the breeder's ready market for their dogs.  Evidently they conducted an intensive breeding program for its refinement.  Over the years it developed finer bone, more abundant coat and profuse feathering. The most characteristic change,however, was in the shape of the head.  Titian’s spaniels had relatively flat heads with little stop ; a type of toy spaniel painted shortly after by Veroneseand others had high-domed, sometimes bulging heads.By the time of Louis XIV, French and Belgian breeders had perfected the type they sought. Mignard, the official court painter, in his portraits of the child Marie de Bourbon, the Dauphin and His Family, and several paintings of Henrietta d’Orleans, shows us a little spaniel that could scarcely be improved upon today.From Titian through Mignard and his contemporaries, all of the Contintenal ToySpaniels had drooping ears.  The ears were set high, although far enough apart to show the curve of the skull.  They were of medium size, hanging, as one writer has expressed it "lightly".  There may, however, have been an occasional dog with leathers of sufficient strength for the ears to stand erect.  Two 18th Century paintings suggest this.

Phalene-Papillon Paintings of old Masters

Some more paintings of our old Masters:

Old Masters-Papillons in History

JEAN BAPTISTE LE PRINCE (1734-1781) Peintre et graveur français. Il a beaucoup travaillé pour la famille impériale russe à Saint Petersbourg (3 panneaux décoratifs pour les portes de la chambre de parade du Palais d'hiver, 34 panneaux décoratifs de porte pour les appartements privés de Catherine II de Russie et pour la décoration du plafond du petit cabinet situé à côté de la chambre de l’impératrice. Le tableau présenté s'intitule Jeune femme en costume turc.

JEAN BAPTISTE PRINCE (1734-1781) painter and french engraver. He has worked for the Russian imperial family in Saint Petersburg (3 decorative panels for the doors of the room of the Winter Palace parade, 34 decorative door panels for the private apartments of Catherine II of Russia and for the decoration of the ceiling of the small cabinet beside the bedroom of the Empress. The table shows entitled young woman in Turkish costume. (Translated by Bing)

Old Masters, Phalenes, Papillons in History

Papillon/Phalene History, Paintings of Phalenes (Papillons)from Old Masters

Antoine Pesne ,Berlin 1757
Friedrich II

Antoine Pesne 1726
La Reina Sofia Dorotea de Hannover

Old Masters, Paintings of Phalenes + Papillons

 National Museum in Gdansk Poland

Papillon, Phalene History: Old Masters: Paintings of Phalenes, the original Breed of the Papillon

Let's remember where our beloved Butterflies come from.
 Here you see a few paintings of  Phalenes, done by Old Masters.
The Phalene is the original breed of the Papillon. Phalenes have dropped ears; they are a Spaniel breed, also known as Continental Spaniel. The erect ear version of the Phalene, called Papillon, was much later developed. .
At that time, they called the drop-down version: Phalene, and the erect ear version: Papillon.
Phalene translates from French to: Moth
Papillon translates from French to Butterfly.
In the USA they are considered as one breed
(Click on an image to see all in a much better version, without leaving this blog!!)