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Attributed to Joseph Gott (1786-1860)
“Boy Snatching a Spaniel pup from its Mother”
Rome, date circa 1830
Marble, height 90 cm, width 55 cm, depth 31 cm.
The attribution of this superb marble to Joseph Gott can be assured on several counts since it is typical of his style and subject matter, comparing admirably with other child and animal groups, all of similar scale. Furthermore it is also almost identical to another attributed, slightly more detailed marble formerly in the collection at Grittleton House, near Chippenham, Wiltshire (untraced, known through a photograph, Courtauld Institute). Grittleton, (begun in 1848 and now a school) was owned by J Neeld M.P., an enthusiastic patron of the arts who had a fine collection of sculptures including Gott’s “Diana with a Greyhound” (Rome 1826) showing Diana seated with a dog at her heels.
While Gott executed a broad variety of subjects, from historical and allegorical groups to portraits and monuments, his forte lay in sculpting young children and animals, particularly dogs. As one contemporary critic noted “In the course of his long career, Mr Gott has executed many beautiful and interesting groups, and exhibited a remarkable talent for the represention of animals, which he combined in a thousand natural and graceful positions with children and youthful figures” (“The Leeds Intelligencer”, cited in “Joseph Gott Sculptor”, exhibition catalogue, 1972, p. 49). During the 1820’s Gott achieved considerable repute for his animalier groups, especially of spaniels, greyhounds and later other species such as foxes and playful kittens. Gott’s earliest animal group was commissioned in 1823-4 by the 6th Duke of Devonshire, for whom he carved “Greyhound with her two Puppies Suckling”, completed in Rome 1825. Numerous commissioned versions followed including one from the Demidoffs of San Donato, Florence, and subsequently led Gott into a field which he made his own speciality.
The combination of animals and children proved equally sucessful as witnessed by four plaster reliefs now in The Dairy at Syon House. The theme was also perfected in marble such as “A Boy and a Dog”, (1832 made for Lord Prudhoe), a related work “A Boy Playing with a Spaniel”, and others of similar composition “A Boy Defending his Sister from a Snake” (untraced) and “Boy Snatching a Greyhound puppy from its Mother” (untraced, known through a photo at the Courtauld Institute). The latter of course being of a very similar subject as here.
Gott, who is recorded as being born at Calverley near Leeds was apprenticed to the leading sculptor John Flaxman in London 1798-1802. In 1805 he entered the Royal Academy Schools, winning a silver medal the following year, the Greater Silver Palette in 1808 and a gold medal from the R.A. in 1819. In 1822 he moved permantly to Rome with his wife and family but made frequent visits back to England to obtain commissions from the aristocracy and wealthy northern industrialists. He was also a regular contributor to the Royal Academy 1820-48, where he showed plasters, terracottas and finished works in marble. It was in Rome that he began specialising in animal and child groups. F.S. Bonfigli in the “Guide to the Studios of Rome”, 1860 noted ‘In his Atelier is to be seen a very curious collection of fancy groups of dogs, of all races, in playful attitudes, executed in marble”. While the scale and modelling of dogs owed much to antique prototypes displayed at Sala degli Animali in the Vatican Museum, Gott’s were obviously carved from life, showing a remarkable sensitivity to canine anatomy and carriage. In contrast his children and other figures were more conventional, classical types. Interest in Gott has been heightened after a major exhibition of his work held in Leeds and Liverpool, 1972, bringing to light previously unrecorded works by this fine English sculptor. His work can be found in a number of public collections such as the Soane Museum London, the Historcal Society in New York and museums in Melbourne, Washington, Nottingham and Angers.
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