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Anne Seymour Damer, Shock Dog, c. 1782.
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.
The only woman sculptor of note in England before the twentieth century; “Mrs. Damer’s busts from life are not inferior to the antique.