Portrait of a girl with a dog (Head of a child with a dog)

Portrait of Girl with Dog The painting (oval in rectangle) from the collection of the Potocki family, the former owners of the Łańcut castle, presents a portrait of a five year-old girl, holding a white dog in both hands in front of her. This is a 19th century copy of the original work of Elisabeth Vigee-Leebrun of 1797 (the original is kept in the museum in Ljubljana), while the girl is the maternal grand-daughter (daughter of the niece) of King Stanisław August Poniatowski ˗ Elżusia Mniszchówna, holding the king's beloved spitz, Kiopek. The dog, called Pan Kiopek (“Mr. Kiopek”), was a regular companion of the king, attending important state meetings with him and posing for several other portraits. The dispute on the breed of the dog is ongoing, even though Stanisław Trembecki specifies clearly in the title of his poem” “The Portrait of Kiopek, the favourite Spitz of King Stanisław August.” His unusual name may derive from Turkish, where the word “kopek” means dog. Elżbieta was the daughter of Grand Marshall of the Crown Michał Wandalin Mniszech and his second wife, Urszula née Zamoyska. Elisabeth Vigee – Leebrun was a French painter who lived in the 18th and the 19th century; she is considered the most famous painter of the 18th century France. She became famous as a portraitist; many Polish aristocrats ordered their semblances from her. Over 30 paintings were made for Polish clients; she also painted for Princess Izabela Lubomirska née Czartoryska.