A bronze figure of a dog , Prince Paul Troubetzkoy, 1897

brown patina, inscribed 'Paolo Troubetzkoy 1897'

Excellent condition.
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NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Akin to Tolstoy, Newton and DaVinci, Troubetzkoy was a proselytising vegetarian. He was known to turn up at dinners bemoaning the evils of slaughtering defenceless animals, even when special arrangements had been made to befit his diet.  As Christian Brinton noted in his article for the 1911 exhibition in Chicago, Troubetzkoy “is more pleased at adding converts to his cherished cause than eliciting admiration for his sculpture”.  Throughout his life, the artist kept tame bears, wolves, sheep and dogs as pets, which further ossified his deep connection to animals.  Some of Troubetzkoy’s most memorable works feature animals, including his masterpiece, the equestrian monument to Emperor Alexander III.

The present lot depicts a pregnant female hound.  Motherhood was a subject the sculptor contemplated and returned to often in his production.  This canine mother-to-be looks composed and dignified in her role.  Whilst resting her torso, she keeps her front paws straight and her tail tucked in, almost mimicking the metropolitan sophistication of Troubetzkoy’s human sitters.