Book of the DOG
'This book is part quirky analysis of dog breeds, part historical survey of
canines in art. Cute, compact and cheap, it's got broad appeal' – Time Out
'Rarer still for an “art book” is the wit and concision of Kendra Wilson's
writing. Her pithy observations on the characteristics of different breeds deserve to be collected in their own right' – Offset
John Saint-Helier Lander, Portrait of HGH the Prince of Wales, 1925
"The Prince of Wales is wearing it" was a popular phrase in the interwar era, and here he is accessorized by a cairn terrier, tweed cap and Fair Isle sweater. The fuzzy neutrals of the Highland dog are a steadying influence in this sartorial landscape of checks and zigzags, which only a confirmed dandy could carry off. By approving a locally knitted sweater in the 1920s, the prince sparked an international craze.
The cairn, was only recognized as an official breed in 1910, though it is one of the oldest Scottish sporting dogs, happiest squaring up to a rat or fox among the piles of rocks (or cairns) characteristic of the Highlands. Like the Fair Isle, the terrier was traditional yet novel, the perfect companion for the prince. "Royal Friends," read the caption to the photogravure of this picture when it appeared in the illustrated London News. "Special portrait of HRH the Prince of Wales and his favourite dog."
