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A bronze statue of a Great Danestands in the southwest corner of theJubel Parc (Parc du Cinquantenaire)in Brussels. Ulmer Dog seems to bethe popular name, but Le Chien (TheDog) and Le Chien Vert (The GreenDog) are used as well.

Ulmer Dog The Parc du Cinquantenaire wasestablished by King Leopold II ofBelgium (1835-1909) to celebrate 50years of Belgian independence(1830-80) with something thatwould last for years to come. Thepark was also the site of the BrusselsInternational Exhibition in 1897, aswell as trade fairs, exhibitions andfestivals, including the 75th-anniversary celebration of Belgianindependence in 1905. A military training ground outsidecentral Brussels was turned into the74-acre park and exhibition center by Belgian architectGédéon Bordiau (1832-1904). About 30 acres becameclassical gardens with laurel trees, straight pathways and twoexhibition halls. Mature chestnut trees, elms, maples and limetrees were planted in 1888. Today at the park one can visit the Grand Mosque, theRoyal Museum of the Armed Forces and Military History, theRoyal Museum for Art and History and… the Ulmer Dog,officially The Dog or, in French, Le Chien.

The Dog is a bronze statuecommissioned by the city of Brusselsand created in 1869 from a plastermodel by Jean-Baptiste Van Heffen(1840-ca.1890). Initially, The Dogwas housed in the Royal Museums ofFine Arts of Belgium. In 1896, thestatue was moved outside to a bluestone plinth in the park. Some saythat the dog is on the watch, butnobody knows for whom or what.

For a sculpture exhibition duringthe 75th-anniversary festivities ofBelgian independence in 1905, thestatue was temporarily relocated tothe entrance of the Woluwe Park.

By the beginning of the 20thcentury, the statue had gained apatina – tarnish due to oxidation ofthe bronze from exposure to theelements. Hence, the statue’s othername: Le Chien Vert (The GreenDog). A tram stop, pubs, cafés and

other businesses were all named after Le Chien Vert – theiconic statue that became green after a relatively short time.

Englishe Dogge and Dänische Dogge “Big, heavy dogs” used mainly for hunting big game couldbe found all over medieval Europe. They were mentioned inPactus Alemannorum, a seventh-century code based onAlemannic common law: Bonum Canem porcatorium, quicapit porcas, ursaritium, qui ursos capit, vel qui vaccam et

HISTORy

by RIA HöRTER

In the 19th century, the term Englishe Dogge was still in use, but changed

gradually to Deutsche Dogge (German mastiff), then to Great Dane.

They are frozen in time and sometimes deceptively real. Perpetuated in stone or bronze,looking over water, streets, parks or squares, dog statues can be found all over the world.

The Ulmer Dog in Brussels

Dog StatuesUlmer Dog (Le Chien – Le Chien Vert) – Jean-Baptiste Van Heffen

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taurum prendit, si occideritaliquis, cum 3 solidis componat.“If somebody kills a good pig dogthat catches pigs, a bear dog thatcatches bears, or [a dog] thatseizes a cow or a bull, then he willbe fined three Solidis.” The par force hunt was apopular pastime at the Europeanroyal courts, with sometimes 80to 100 armored dogsparticipating. In the 1600s,heavy dogs, rather high on leg,were exported from England tocentral Europe; in Germany,these imports were known asEnglishe Doggen (Englishmastiffs). A German typedeveloped in the 17th century,and by the beginning of the 18thcentury, their descendants hadbecome regional types – forexample, the Ulmer Dogge, alarge, heavy dog with a black orblack-and-white coat for themost part, named after the townof Ulm in southern Germany, Another type, called theDänische Dogge (Danishmastiff), had a fawn, Isabella orbrindle coat, and was smaller andlighter than the Ulmer Dogge. Inthe 19th century, the termEnglishe Dogge was still in use,but changed gradually toDeutsche Dogge (German mas-tiff), then to Great Dane.

Cammerhunde and Leibhunde The terms Saupacker orSaurüde (boar hound) or Hatzrüde(hunting hound) were used in17th- and 18th-century literatureabout the hunt, probably todistinguish them from theLeibhunde (body dogs, catchdogs) and Cammerhunde (housedogs). The Leibhunde andCammerhunde were held in highregard and sometimes adornedwith silver and gold collars.Gradually, the boar houndsbecame companion dogs underthe name Deutsche Dogge(German mastiff), although thenames Ulmer Dogge and UlmerHund were still used in the Würt-

temberg region of southernGermany.

One of the first dog shows inGermany took place in Hamburg,in 1863. Eight Dänische Doggenand seven Ulmer Doggen wereentered. In 1869, 15 Danish and12 Ulmer Doggen were enteredat a show in Altona, one of themost important harbours inDenmark until 1865, now asuburb of Hamburg. The 15Danish dogs were owned byGermans, not Danes.

Following a recommendationby show judges, it was decided, in1880, to register the UlmerDogge, Hatzrüde, Saupacker andDänische Dogge under one name– Deutsche Dogge (GermanMastiff) – and judge themaccording to the same breedstandard. England and Francechose (for political reasons) thename Great Dane.

The SculptorThe creator of the statue in

Brussels was Belgian sculptorJean-Baptiste Van Heffen (1840-ca.1890). Why a dog and not ahorse or another animal? I wasunable to find the answer.

Apart from Ulmer Dog, VanHeffen made another dog, ahound, standing ramrod stiff andlooking at a turtle. This statue hasthe appropriate name La Surprise(The Surprise). It shows 1862 onthe plinth, but  according tothe  Academiënpaleis (Palace ofthe Academies) website,  thedate should be 1869.

In the second half of the 19thcentury, Van Heffen exhibited inBrussels, Vienna and Paris; hiswork shows a great diversity.

Prince Laurent of Belgium(1963- ), a younger brother of thepresent King Philippe, is known tobe a great dog fancier. In his bookSuivez le Chien dans l’art et laville (Follow the Dog in art andthe city) Laurent mentioned TheDog, which he called Le Molosse(The Molosser).

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HISTORy

Café Restaurant du Chien Vert (Green Dog Restaurant)around the beginning of the 20th century.

Another dog statue by Van Heffen, a hound, standing ramrod stiff and looking at a turtle.

This statue with the appropriate name The Surprise stands in the garden of the Palace of the Academies, Brussels.

A postcard dating from WWI (1914-18) showing the Parc du Cinquantenaire and Le Chien Vert in Brussels.

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