Target Reached For Hogarth Family's Pets Memorial

Last minute donations ensure the replica stones for Dick the drake and Pompey the dog

Last minute donations have ensured that the memorial stones for Hogarth's family pets, Dick the drake and Pompey the dog will go ahead.

There were fears that the project might have to be abandoned as the deadline for donations was running dangerously close, but thanks to the generosity of donors, the memorial stones will go ahead.

The campaign to receive donations from the public to help create replica memorial stones to the animals in the new garden at Hogarth’s House had captured the support of academics, animal lovers and Hogarth enthusiasts.

Project co-ordinator for the Mulberry Garden, Val Bott, said they had now reached their total of £2,148.

The story of the duck memorial has attracted all sorts of donations, including some from academics specialising in the 18th century, local animal lovers and Hogarth enthusiasts and the story has been written up on the British Waterfowl Association's blog

The crowdfunding site was set up to raise funds to replace the touching memorials which were in the garden until at least 1850 but have disappeared without trace.

The carving shows that Dick was a drake; he may have lived with a small flock of ducks laying eggs for the Hogarths. The unique long-billed Memento Mori carving may originally have been executed by Hogarth himself.

The replica memorials are part of the Mulberry Garden project, which will create a learning studio and an innovative "exhibition garden" as a venue for activities and events to engage new audiences with Hogarth and the other past residents.

The new garden will provide a high quality setting for the House, telling the whole story of the site from its origins as a 1680s orchard through life as a domestic garden and a nursery, and incorporating Hogarth's theories of art, such as his scrolling Line of Beauty, in planting and design features. Lost elements are being re-created including a skittle alley, a nut-walk and the pet memorials.

The project will allow Hogarth’s House to welcome many more visitors, increase its educational impact and involve local people of all ages in heritage and horticulture.

More details about the pet memorials, the Mulberry Garden Project and Hogarth's House are available at www.williamhogarthtrust.org.uk

Hogarth’s House is still closed to allow works which are part of the Mulberry Garden Project to be undertaken.

April 24, 2019