The Amazing Adventures of Archibald Esq.

St Hubert (National Gallery, London)

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The Mass of Saint Hubert was probably painted around 1480-1485, and has been part of the National Gallery collection since it was bought in 1854. With the ‘The Conversion of Saint Hubert,’ this painting by a Cologne artist was one of the inside shutters of an altarpiece from the Benedictine abbey at Werden, near Essen. (The outside shutters, depicting various saints are also in the Collection.)

Saint Hubert (circa 656 - 727) was first Bishop of Liège. The painting shows an angel appearing with a stole for him during his consecration as bishop. Behind him is a deacon with the saint’s mitre and crozier. On the altar is a gilded altarpiece showing God the Father flanked by Saints Peter and Paul.

The National Gallery suggests that the dog in the foreground was probably included because Saint Hubert was regarded as a protector against rabies.

What the National Gallery does not comment on is the interesting incongruity of the painting. Saint Hubert was patron saint of hunting hounds. He was said to be so devoted to his dogs that he was never without them. But in this painting the dog in question is not your average hunting hound. This little dog looks just like a little companion dog. What some people call ‘lap dogs.’

Perhaps it is this that makes me think of the artist tradition embedded in the tale of Tobit. Notice that here, as in the Tobit story, the dog is not only quite explicitly a ‘companion dog’, but it is also present to humans and angels.

Which prompts the question as to whether the dog’s presence in this particular painting has more to do with the dog’s role as guardian of the puppyheart — innocence, loyalty, companionship — and less to do with the fact that Hubert is a patron saint for the protection from rabies.

In our meditations on Tobit we concluded that dogs are the earthbound counterpart to the angels in the heavens… In other words, dogs are to humans what angels are to humans. Each in their own proper sphere. Here too, the dog could be the intermediary link between humans and angels.

Whatever the case may be…. SuperWoof to St Hubert and the unknown German artist who completed this fine painting all those hundreds of years ago!

Awoof! Archie

Posted 14 Dec 07