Bósi

Bósi

Growl, my Bósi, never bite —
better heed this warning!
Or someone — turning snappish — might
smash your jaw some morning.

And never join the gibing pack
of "gentlefolk" that flatters
until a man has turned his back — 
then tears his name to tatters.

Jónas Hallgrímsson (1844-5)

The French explorer Paul Gaimard visited Iceland in 1835 and 1836. During the second summer, he led a scientific expedition on behalf of the French government. His scientific work, Voyage en Islande et au Groënland, was published in nine volumes after his return. Gaimard became so famous in Iceland that Jónas Hallgrímsson (an Icelandic poet, author, and naturalist) wrote a poem about him.

The book Voyage en Islande et au Groënland (1840–1842) contains numerous drawings, reports, and studies on the nature, wildlife, and culture of Iceland. The image above is from this book. The following description accompanies it:

This is a rare print titled "Mammifères Plate 7 - Chien Islandais (Canis familiaris Islandicus)", depicting the Icelandic sheepdog. It is a copperplate engraving with contemporary hand coloring on vellum paper. The engraving was made by the artist Massard, after a drawing by Werner.

Such prints are not only significant as works of art but also serve as scientific documents from the 19th century. They were often created to provide detailed descriptions of animal species, with a focus on their natural characteristics, and in this case, the Icelandic sheepdog is depicted.

According to the inscription on the print, this is number 1 of 5 prints, and I am pleased to announce that I recently acquired this very print for the exhibition.