Tickets
English
DonateMembership
Tickets

Shock Dog (nickname for a dog of the Maltese breed)

probably 1782
On view at The Met Fifth Avenue in Gallery 512
Portrayed life-size, the small dog attentively looks up and awaits a word or a touch from its master. In eighteenth-century Britain, small breeds like the Maltese -- known as a shock dog for its rough coat -- were beloved companions. The emotional bond between owners and their pets often were commemorated in endearing portraits like this one.

Anne Damer was celebrated as Britain’s first woman sculptor who portrayed both animals and people with memorable personal style. Noble-born and highly educated, Damer inscribed the Shock Dog with her name in Greek to recall her art’s classical origins. The engaging naturalism of this canine portrait testifies to her artistic mastery and to her empathy. At her death, Damer asked to be buried with her sculptor’s tools and the bones of her favorite dog: two life-long joys that had sustained her.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Shock Dog (nickname for a dog of the Maltese breed)
  • Artist: Anne Seymour Damer (British, Coombe Bank, Sevenoaks, Kent 1748–1828 London)
  • Date: probably 1782
  • Culture: British
  • Medium: Carrara marble
  • Dimensions: Overall (confirmed): 13 1/8 × 14 15/16 × 12 5/8 in., 75 lb. (33.3 × 38 × 32.1 cm, 34 kg)
  • Classification: Sculpture
  • Credit Line: Purchase, Barbara Walters Gift, in honor of Cha Cha, 2014
  • Object Number: 2014.568
  • Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts

More Artwork

More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
"Royal George" Cello, William Forster British, Spruce, maple, ebony, British
"Royal George" Cello
William Forster
1782
Jérôme Bonaparte (1784–1860), Baron François Joseph Bosio, Carrara marble, French
Jérôme Bonaparte (1784–1860)
After an original by Baron François Joseph Bosio
1810–13
Teakettle, lamp, and table, Simon Pantin I British, Silver, wood, British, London
Teakettle, lamp, and table
Simon Pantin I
1724–25
Gamba Bow, Wood, British
Gamba Bow
British
first half 18th century
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650–1722), John Michael Rysbrack Flemish, Carrara marble, British
John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough (1650–1722)
John Michael Rysbrack
early to mid-1730s

Related Content

Publications

Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please contact us using the form below. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.

Send feedback

Content Notice

The Metropolitan Museum of Art presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world, and our online collection reflects ongoing work conducted over the course of our more than 150-year history. You may encounter objects or images that may be inappropriate for some viewers or information that may be outdated.