Museum collection · Smithsonian American Art Museum · saam_1986.65.292
Dalmatian
Unidentified, 20th century
Smithsonian American Art Museum · Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Herbert Waide Hemphill, Jr. and museum purchase made possible by Ralph Cross Johnson · CC0 · Public domain
- Artist
- Unidentified
- Date
- 20th century
- Medium
- carved and painted wood with metal and resin
- Dimensions
- 13 3/4 x 20 1/8 x 6 in. (34.9 x 51.2 x 15.2 cm.)
- Era
- Museum collection
Why it matters
Dalmatians were bred to run alongside carriages and calm the horses when they were spooked. When horse-drawn fire engines first appeared in America, Dalmatians rode as mascots, and they are still associated with firefighters today. The unknown artist may have made this sculpture as a “pet” for his children, who would have enjoyed riding on the animal’s back.