A Rare Swiss ‘black Forest’ Polychrome Carved Wood Dog’s Head Trophy, Brienz, Late 19th Century, Circa 1880–1900

A rare and particularly decorative Swiss Black Forest carved and polychrome wood wall trophy, finely modelled as the head of a sporting dog, probably a spaniel, with inset glass eyes.

The dog is sensitively and naturalistically carved, the individual strands of the coat carefully delineated and the face given considerable character by the deeply modelled muzzle and expressive glass eyes. The original polychrome decoration depicts a broad white blaze running from the forehead along the muzzle, contrasting with the darker markings to the head and ears.

The head projects boldly from a shaped wooden backplate painted with a warm red ground and surrounded by an elaborate openwork frame of intertwined branches, naturalistically carved leaves and clusters of nuts, retaining attractive green and brown polychrome decoration.

Carvings of this type were principally produced in and around Brienz, Switzerland, which developed into one of Europe’s most important centres of commercial woodcarving during the 19th century. The growth of tourism in Switzerland created an international market for the work of the Brienz carvers, whose subjects ranged from bears and other Alpine wildlife to dogs, game birds, furniture and elaborate domestic objects.

While Black Forest carvings are most commonly encountered with the familiar rich brown stained or natural wood finish, period polychrome carving formed a distinct part of the Brienz tradition, with painted examples recorded and illustrated in the specialist literature. The extensive survival of the painted decoration on the present trophy is consequently an important feature, giving an impression much closer to the carver’s original conception than is usually encountered.

Dogs were particularly popular subjects with the Brienz workshops, reflecting the Victorian enthusiasm for sporting breeds and animal portraiture. The present example is distinguished by the unusually lifelike treatment of the animal, the bold three-dimensional projection of the head and the exceptionally elaborate carved and pierced foliate surround.

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For comparable examples of polychrome Swiss ‘Black Forest’ carving, see Swiss Carvings: The Art of the ‘Black Forest’, 1820–1940.

H 43  x  W 51  x  D 31cm