A near pair of bronze models of standing greyhounds

A near pair of bronze models of standing greyhounds, after Eos by John Francis (1780-1861), 20th century, modelled opposing, each standing with head slightly turned wearing collar and neckerchief, each inscribed Y. MONGNEZ to the rear of the collar, of differing proportion, one; 102cm high, 110cm long, 20cm wide, the other; 104cm high, 95cm long, 20 cm deepBidders from the UK and outside of the European Union should be aware that additional import charges may applyThe present greyhounds were inspired by John Francis' model of The Greyhound Eos, circa 1848, which stood on the terrace of the Italian Gardens at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight, and has been reproduced with the gracious permission of Her Majesty the Queen. Francis' model is based on a painting of Eos by Sir Edwin Landseer (1803-73), which served as inspiration for the Osborne House version of the greyhound as well as the one for Windsor Home Park. Prince Albert is known to have worked on the sculpted rendition himself together with the sculptor John Francis. In her diary entry for 1st November 1844, Queen Victoria wrote '...we walked down to the Kennels, where Francis is getting on with the model of good 'Eos', which is very good and like. Albert directs everything, and also works himself at it'.Francis' model is illustrated in John Davis, Antique Garden Ornament, Antiques Collectors' Club, 1991, p. 150