Colonel J. Dennis's greyhounds Distingue, Dendraspis and Dilwyn

Details

Arthur Wardle, R.I. (1864-1949)
Colonel J. Dennis's greyhounds Distingue, Dendraspis and Dilwyn
signed and dated 'ARTHUR/WARDLE/1914' (lower left)
oil on canvas
36 x 48 in. (91.5 x 122 cm.)

Provenance

Colonel J. Dennis, and by descent.
with Duke Street Gallery, London.

Special notice

Artist's Resale Right ("Droit de Suite"). Artist's Resale Right Regulations 2006 apply to this lot, the buyer agrees to pay us an amount equal to the resale royalty provided for in those Regulations, and we undertake to the buyer to pay such amount to the artist's collection agent. All sold and unsold lots marked with a filled square in the catalogue that are not cleared from Christie’s by 5:00 pm on the day of the sale, and all sold and unsold lots not cleared from Christie’s by 5:00 pm on the fifth Friday following the sale, will be removed to the warehouse of ‘Cadogan Tate’. Please note that there will be no charge to purchasers who collect their lots within two weeks of this sale.

Lot Essay

This beautifully rendered painting depicts Messrs S.M. and J.E. Dennis's greyhounds, Dendraspis, Distingue and Dilwyn. Commissioned by Colonel J. Dennis in 1914 to celebrate their racing successes, it is evident from their musculature, gleaming coats and alert expressions that they were supreme physical specimens with an impeccable pedigree, leaving us in no doubt of their supremacy on the racetrack.

Dendraspis was whelped in 1905, out of Gleneva by Wartnaby, and won the Waterloo Cup in 1909. His son Distingue, whelped in 1910 out of Forest Fairy, narrowly lost out to Dilwyn in the semi-final of the 1914 Waterloo Cup, despite being the favourite. Dilwyn, whelped in 1911, out of Denwa, whose own dame was Gleneva, by Bachelors Avenue, went on to win the 1914 Waterloo Cup.

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