Credit: ©The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.16408

    Conjoined puppies

    Date
    1700
    Creator
    Henry Hunt (British) , Artist
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Manuscript page number
    p80
    Material
    Dimensions
    height (paper): 380mm
    width (paper): 297mm
    Subject
    Content object
    nature
       > animal
          > dog
    nature
       > animal
    Description
    Two studies, above and below, of conjoined puppies showing a single head but two sets of back legs and tails. Inscribed: 'A monstrous pupe shewne to y. Society May [169- erased] 1700.' Not signed. Numbered verso, '20'.

    Details of the dog are given in the Royal Society’s Journal Book [JBO/10] at a meeting of 29 May 1700: 'A person shew’d a monstrous puppy; it had one head, a large tongue, 2 hinder bodys, 7 legs [...] it was hurt in y. coming into y. world, and lived only 3 hours. The person was desired to leave it, that a figure of it might be taken by Mr. Hunt.' The image was presented at the subsequent Society meeting, 5 June 1700: 'Mr Hunt brought the draught of the monstrous puppy, which was very well approved of'.
    Transcription
    a monstrous puppe shewne to ye society May 1700; verso, at the bottom: 20
    Transcribed by the Making Visible project
    Object history
    29 May 1700: 'A person shewed a monstrous puppy, it had one head, a large tongue, 2 hinder bodys, 7 legs, one of the fore legs two feet in one, it was hurt in the coming into the world, and lived only 3 hours. The person was desired to leave it, that a figure of it might be taken by Mr Hunt. Mr Hunt was desired to take a sketch of the skeleton of whales' (JBC/9/213).

    29 May: 'to a man that shewd a monstrous puppy 0-2-6 [0 pounds, 2 shillings, 6 pence]' (AB1/1/3).

    5 June 1700: 'Mr Hunt brought the Draught of the monstrous puppy which was very well approved of' (JBC/9/214).
    Associated place
    <The World>
       > Europe
          > United Kingdom
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