Dog I

Throughout her career Frink made numerous representations of animals from birds to horses and monkeys. In the last decade of her career she found a new propensity for the image of dogs, inspired by her life at Woolland, set deep in the Dorset countryside with her husband Alex Csáky, where they shared a large menagerie of animals. Although insisting they belonged to no particular breed, her dogs were known to closely resemble golden-red Weimeraners and the beautiful Hungarian gun dogs Vizslas; their naturally smooth and sculpted contours translating perfectly into bronze.

Dog I is one of the finest examples of Frink’s animal depictions. Cast in a deep brown patina, the hound is alert and expectant, its ears raised and tail pointed, as if momentarily paused by some distant sound or sight, ready to spring into action at any instant. Its face is beautifully depicted, with Frink highlighting the delicacy of its fine features, seen most pointedly in its long nose and soft ears. Through the careful study of canine gestures and expressions, Frink has accurately portrayed not only its anatomy realistically but has captured its individual characteristics. Frink succeeds in depicting a sense of playfulness, highlighting its beady eyes and button nose, whilst also conveying the natural elegance of the animal by emphasising its long, lean limbs and slight frame. One of Frink’s greatest achievements was conveying the essence of the animal seen, paring away any superfluous details, which might detract from the unity of the piece. This can be seen in the present work, with her dog perfectly embodying the endearing physiognomies one associates with the animal.