Saturday, August 13, 2011

Thisbe

Anonymous French, Studies of a Spaniel.
Red chalk on paper, 18th century. Ashmolean Museum.
Lauren discusses Marie-Antoinette's spaniel.
And how could we forget Thisbe?  This little spaniel belonged to the queen during her later years, and some revolutionary stories about the pup give him a Greyfriars Bobby-like tale!  The little spaniel, known as Thisbe, was with the queen and her family when they were imprisoned in the Temple.  When Louis XVI was guillotined, the pup stayed with the queen and her children, and still when the children were taken.  Only were they separated when Marie Antoinette was moved to the Conciergerie. (Read entire post.)
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6 comments:

Violet said...

Such a sad story (if its true).

I have heard that Marie Antoinette had a dog from Axel von Fersen, which she kept in prison.
Do you know something about it?

Sorry for my English.

elena maria vidal said...

Yes, Axel gave the Queen a dog named Odin. She tried to keep all of her pets with her as long as possible.

Stephanie A. Mann said...

Alexandre Dumas refers to a dog named "Black" in "The Knight of the Maison-Rouge". Black stays around the Conciergerie as described above. Marie Antoinette sees the little dog trying to keep up with the cart as she is taken to the guillotine--it is quite pathetic in effect. The infamous Simon calls the little dog to him and then crushes its skull.

elena maria vidal said...

Simon was such a wretch.

Violet said...

Thank you for the answer :)

lara77 said...

That is so sad; that innocent animal destroyed. Then again look at the monsters that were doing the killing. They were bereft of any decency or humanity. Dogs like all animals are perfect to me. They behave as their creator intended them. I hope all the Queen's "extended" family are with her in Heaven!