The story of how this very rich chap’s dog ended up in the Scottish National Gallery is totally barking
Our thanks to a chap called Matthew on Twitter who shared this portrait of a dog that can be found in the Scottish National Gallery – and the gallery’s explanation of how it ended up there.
Here’s the portrait.
And here’s the explanation of how it got there. And if you’re thinking it might not be entirely on merit, you’d be right.
‘Callum was a Dandie Dinmont terrier owned by James Cowan Smith who bequeathed £55,000 to the Gallery in 1919 on condition that Emm’s portrait should remain on permanent display.
Then an enormous sum, this legacy assisted the purchase of many important pictures, including Constable’s Dedham Vale, Sargent’s Lady Agnew and Goya’s El Medico.’
Brilliant.
James Cowan Smith: Here’s £55,000 in 1919 money
Scottish National Gallery: Fantastic, thank you
JCS: But you must exhibit this painting of my dog
SNG: …
JCS: Forever pic.twitter.com/RTvek7mt2u— Matthewせいじ (@matthewseiji) November 3, 2018
And the comments it prompted aren’t bad either.
Also enjoyable: the way the plaque is written, it is interpretable as the dog himself making the donation and stipulating he be on permanent display
— Matthewせいじ (@matthewseiji) November 3, 2018
I love the subtle dig: “it’s clearly shit, but we purchased good stuff with the money”
— Nick O’Neill (@nickoneill) November 4, 2018
I mean to be fair… it’s a pretty good picture of that dudes dog.
— Matthew Grissom (@magrissomVA) November 4, 2018
He had a Saint Bernard……
— Dukegonzo1331 (@dukegonzo1331) November 4, 2018
According to https://t.co/TuRlRaMPtw that’s £2.5 Million in 2017 money based on purchasing power
— hinge_Xanderl (@hinge_xanderl) November 3, 2018
The painting was done 24 years before — and the donor still loved their long lost doggo that much 😢
— Melissa 💫 (@0xabad1dea) November 4, 2018
there’s rich, and then there’s “make my dog immortal” rich
— @BlueWindGirl (@BlueWindGirl) November 4, 2018
I think the note goes out of its way to imply they wouldn’t like to show the painting, which is unfair as it’s a good picture of a cute dog
— skizelo (@skizelo) November 4, 2018
Maybe he should have added, ‘… and the gallery is not allowed to explain to visitors why they are looking at a portrait of my dog’. But then we’d have missed out on this rather wonderful story.
https://twitter.com/diannaeanderson/status/1059268660592820225
