LOWDOWN Winter 2011 page 37
WINNIE’S WHEELBARROW?
This summer, during another of Derek and Miranda Harris’ seemingly endless world tours, they were eating at a restaurant somewhere in deepest France when Miranda noticed a Gallic fellow walk by with a Basset Hound in tow.
Ever mindful of their responsibilities of being Lowdown’s special foreign correspondents, Miranda ran over to the gentleman and, after explaining in fluent French her associations with the breed, asked to photograph him and his dog, to obvious bemusement.
The hound must attract quite a lot of attention over there as it is not one of the indigenous French varieties of Basset (Artésien Normand, Fauve de Bretagne, Bleu de Gascogne, etc.).
I am grateful to Miranda for her diligent on-the-spot reporting. While doing this, I understand that our webmaster remained firmly locked onto his dinner.
Sighting Bassets while abroad is always fun - so, if you happen upon any on your travels, please email your photos to Lowdown.
Back on home turf, and a few years ago, we were walking the hounds along Eastbourne seafront when we were approached by an elderly gentleman and his younger female companion who were very admiring of Pablo and Nico.
I recognised the man’s features and, when he spoke, his noticeable German accent confirmed his identity to me. We had a nice chat and spoke for some time about Basset Hounds. After bidding each other farewell, I said to Frankie, “Do you know who that was?” “Yes, wasn’t that Lucian Freud?” She replied.
Freud, grandson of Sigmund, was probably this country’s greatest living painter - internationally recognised - he was most famous for painting nude portraits.
Lucien Freud with a fox cub.
photographed by David Dawson published in AnOther Magazine, Issue 9, Autumn/Winter 2005
‘Eli & David’ by Lucien Freud
He died in July this year, aged 88.
He was fascinated by dogs and sometimes included them in his work. The passing of this great painter and dog-lover is a very sad.
Is it fanciful to wonder if, when we parted, Freud said to his partner,
“Do you know who that was?”
Most dog lovers will know the famous story of Blackfriar’s Bobby - the little Terrier who after the death of his beloved master held a fourteen year vigil by sitting at the grave, presumably grieving. There is even a statue erected to mark his memory.
New research exposes this heart-warming story as a complete Victorian myth.
A historian now believes the story was a publicity stunt, dreamed up by local businessmen, in order to attract custom to their particular district of Edinburgh.
New evidence suggests that Bobby was actually two dogs; and that locals cynically recruited a new one when the original died. The dog probably didn’t even have an owner at all, but was a stray kept at the cemetery with bribes of food.
I am sorry to have to be the one to break this to you!
This summer, during another of Derek and Miranda Harris’ seemingly endless world tours, they were eating at a restaurant somewhere in deepest France when Miranda noticed a Gallic fellow walk by with a Basset Hound in tow.
Ever mindful of their responsibilities of being Lowdown’s special foreign correspondents, Miranda ran over to the gentleman and, after explaining in fluent French her associations with the breed, asked to photograph him and his dog, to obvious bemusement.
The hound must attract quite a lot of attention over there as it is not one of the indigenous French varieties of Basset (Artésien Normand, Fauve de Bretagne, Bleu de Gascogne, etc.).
I am grateful to Miranda for her diligent on-the-spot reporting. While doing this, I understand that our webmaster remained firmly locked onto his dinner.
Sighting Bassets while abroad is always fun - so, if you happen upon any on your travels, please email your photos to Lowdown.
Back on home turf, and a few years ago, we were walking the hounds along Eastbourne seafront when we were approached by an elderly gentleman and his younger female companion who were very admiring of Pablo and Nico.
I recognised the man’s features and, when he spoke, his noticeable German accent confirmed his identity to me. We had a nice chat and spoke for some time about Basset Hounds. After bidding each other farewell, I said to Frankie, “Do you know who that was?” “Yes, wasn’t that Lucian Freud?” She replied.
Freud, grandson of Sigmund, was probably this country’s greatest living painter - internationally recognised - he was most famous for painting nude portraits.
He died in July this year, aged 88.
He was fascinated by dogs and sometimes included them in his work. The passing of this great painter and dog-lover is a very sad.
Is it fanciful to wonder if, when we parted, Freud said to his partner,
“Do you know who that was?”
Lucien Freud with a fox cub.
photographed by David Dawson published in AnOther Magazine, Issue 9, Autumn/Winter 2005
Most dog lovers will know the famous story of Blackfriar’s Bobby - the little Terrier who after the death of his beloved master held a fourteen year vigil by sitting at the grave, presumably grieving. There is even a statue erected to mark his memory.
New research exposes this heart-warming story as a complete Victorian myth.
A historian now believes the story was a publicity stunt, dreamed up by local businessmen, in order to attract custom to their particular district of Edinburgh.
New evidence suggests that Bobby was actually two dogs; and that locals cynically recruited a new one when the original died. The dog probably didn’t even have an owner at all, but was a stray kept at the cemetery with bribes of food.
I am sorry to have to be the one to break this to you!