Many Papillon lovers associate the breed with Marie-Antoinette, but its lineage can be traced in art back to the 1300's. Known then as the Dwarf, Continental or Toy Spaniel, these dainty drop-eared Phalenes won the hearts of both royalty and commoners. Marie Antoinette's mother was a lover of the breed, and when Marie went to France to marry King Louis the XVI, she brought the line with her and gave puppies to her european relatives and local courteseans. Some authors contest that she originated the name Papillon, calling her dogs "her little butterflies," but my research has been unable to substantiate it.
There is a possibility that Mary Queen of Scots may have owned Papillons as well. As a teenager, Mary came to France to be educated and later ruled there as queen, eventually returning to Scotland some years later. There are no portraits of her with the breed, but later in England she lived for 19 years in virtual isolation. Thus, it is a logical speculation.
Here on the left we have the children of King Charles the III playing with the family Spaniels. The young girl in the upper right is Sophia, an ardent lover of Papillons. There are a few paintings of her with her pets, and she later ascended the throne of Austria. On the right is King Charles the II.
His Spaniels are much smaller, probably bred for small game hunting.
Left is a portrait of Queen Sophia as a young girl. It's not hard to imagine the love she shared with her pets. On the right is Queen Charlotte with her white and red spaniel. This famous papillon was preserved after its passing and is on display in a museum in Germany.
No one is really sure when the Papillon ears became erect. This 18th century portrait by an unknown artist reflects the first hint of the pricked-ear appearance. On the Right is Isabel Czartorysky of Poland with her dwarf spaniel.
Another lover of the breed was Madame du Pompadour. She was fortunate enough to escape the French Revolution to England and may very well have brought some of the first Royal Papillons to that country with her, thus preserving the line. On the right she is posed with her daughter who died at the age of 10 and their two spaniels. Note the little dogs were solid in color. Her other Spaniels are featured below.
Dutch and Flemish artists added Papillons to many of their paintings. By the late 1700's, the little dogs had spread throughout all of europe.
It is true, the Papillon is referred to as the "dog of royalty." The opulence they lived in was beyond compare. It is said that the children of Louis XVI ran through the long majestic halls with their dogs, and all slept with them in the bedchambers. While the royal pets literally ruled the palace, Louis on the other hand explicitly refused to allow them in his private quarters!
By the time French impressionism emerged in the 1900's, artists were still painting Papillons! See the little one barking at the milk man?
Mme. Elisabeth, also known to us as Vigee' Le Brun, was one of the most famous painters of the Royal Families during the reign of Louis the XVI. She lived in the palace and painted portraits throughout Europe, so one can speculate Marie-Antoinette insisted she deliver her treasured Papillons to friends and family when she reached her destination! She also survived the revolution and escaped with her daughter to Italy. Voltaire wrote in his memoirs that the little dogs were transported in woven baskets attached to pack horses and carriages. Below is such an example -
The critters could turn out to be chickens, but the period baskets are correct.
