Alexander Pope Jr - One of America's Leading Sporting Artists

Alexander Pope Jr. (1849-1924) was one of theAuction Galleries. "The realistically painted shipping
leading sporting artists of his day, known for hislabel on the wooden crate clearly identifies the
exquisite paintings of hunting dogs and histwo black spaniels and the bulldog as belonging to
realistically rendered still lifes. His trompe l'oeilHammond."
technique became a visual calling card, and helped"The painting was so lifelike that we actually
to popularize the style in the late 19th century.thought the big boxer was real and was waiting
Having trained briefly with William Rimmer andto jump out of that crate when we weren't
William Copley, Pope was a celebrated member oflooking," says Kimberly Pope Lampman, who
the Copley Society of Boston, the oldest artrecalls childhood visits to her grandfather's home
association in America. Pope's work was acquiredwhere the painting hung.
by such high-profile collectors as Czar AlexanderIt's not known if Hammond ever received "Dogs
III of Russia and is found today in museums likein a Kennel", as the painting remained in the artist's
the Boston Museum of Fine Art, the Nationalpersonal collection. "According to a New York
Museum of Wildlife Art, and the Brooklyn Museum.Times obituary published on April 11, 1900,
A favorite portrait artist among high-societyHammond died of heart failure in his Murray Hill
circles, Pope completed "Dogs in a Kennel" aroundHotel, possibly before this piece was finished,"
the turn of the 20th century, most likely onBuchanan says. "Mysteriously, the painting
commission by high-profile horse breeder and Newremained in the artist's possession."
York hotelier David S. Hammond (1840-1900). The"Dogs in a Kennel" was eventually gifted by Pope
work shows three pure-breed dogs peering outto his cousin, William Carroll Pope. It has been
from a wooden crate. Pope's trompe l'oeilcarefully passed down through five generations of
technique gives the painting a three-dimensionalthat family. Now, the 36-by-47.5 inch oil on canvas
feel.is being auctioned, part of Heritage's American &
"Hammond was part owner of the famed MurrayEuropean Art auction scheduled for May 27, 2010,
Hill Hotel, where he lived among such notablein Dallas. It's expected to fetch up to $120,000.
residents as Mark Twain, Grover Cleveland, and"This is the first time this important and beautiful
J.P. Morgan," says Kirsty Buchanan, consignmentwork by Alexander Pope Jr. has ever been
director for fine art at Dallas-based Heritagepresented at public auction," Buchanan says.