Dame Elisabeth Frink, R.A. (1930-1993)

Dog, or Dog (Childhood) as it is sometimes referred to, relates closely to the series that Frink sculpted in 1990 titled Leonardo's Dog. Inspired by a visit to Chateau de Cloux, Leonardo da Vinci's residence in Amboise, France, where he spent his final days, 'In the cellar were models of all his inventions, and outside the door was a wonderful medieval dog, an old stone one with a big collar, chained to the door, very worn. This got me the idea of doing a seated dog, it started something in my mind ... The particular attraction for me is that dogs are the animals who've been closest to man for thousands of years. I find that interesting' (E. Lucie-Smith and E. Frink, Frink, A Portrait, London, p. 47).

Sculpted in aid of the Great Ormand Street Hospital in 1992, it was originally intended to be cast in an edition of 50 by the Morris Singer Foundry, with 6 additional artist's proofs by the Ken Cook foundry. It seems however that, along with the full compliment of artist's proofs, only about 30 works were cast by the Morris Singer Foundry (exact number unknown) and only some of these casts were numbered, bearing edition numbers towards the high end of the sequence. The majority of casts belonging to the early part of the edition do not bear numbers, as is the case with the present lot.