A faithful companion

This charming terrine featuring a dog testifies to the sustained activity of the Compagnie des Indes in the18th century, but also to the ancestral presence of this animal in Chinese arts.

His red hair spotted with black, his touching eyes and floppy ears are irresistible. It could be a beagle, a European hunting dog, perhaps based on a drawing or wooden model sent to China.The Compagnie des Indes’ exports to France reached their peak between 1725 and 1771 – with 585 ships and transactions amounting to 292 ,867 ,823 pounds – but specifically Chinese production has also been interested in this charming animal companion for centuries. The dog is a symbol of loyalty and protection in the Middle Kingdom. Its representation appears as early as the Tang dynasty (618-907) in terracotta funerary objects known as mingqi. Under the Ming dynasty, it was confused with the Buddhist lion or “Fô dog” , a temple protector present in the Forbidden City and the Summer Palace. Porcelain production intensified in the imperial kilns of Jingdezhen, supplying both the domestic market and European merchants in the port of Canton, from where the so-called Compagnie des Indes porcelain was shipped. The Qing dynasty, from 1644 onwards, also saw dogs become pets, particularly Pekingese, under the influence of the Jesuits. Images of loyalty, they were depicted in an increasingly naturalistic manner. On the lid of our rare terrine, a small dog, symbol of fertility, accompanies our charming companion.