Dog

The ceramic sculpture of a dog is one of the elements belonging to an entire collection of sculptures brought to Wilanów by August Potocki around 1858. Initially, two figures of dogs flanked the entrance to the terrace adjacent to the eastern side of Izabela Lubomirska's bathing pavilion. Later, in the post-war period, they were placed at the foot of the stairs leading from the English-Chinese garden to the southern pergola.

Most of the figural sculptures, vases and small elements of the garden architecture made of ceramics in the Ernst March's Earthenware Factory were placed in the Rose Garden. The garden located at the southern wing of the palace was commissioned by August and Aleksandra Potocki in the years 1855–1856. It was designed by architect Bolesław Paweł Podczaszyński. This garden is one of the few interesting and well-preserved 19th-century historicising designs in Poland. Its form referred to the Renaissance ideal of a giardino secreto. This term was used to describe small gardens located next to residential buildings, intended for intimate relaxation, separated from a larger garden by a wall or a line of trees. The characteristic features of the Neo-renaissance garden are its closed form and the abundance of sculptures which include, among others, a large collection of sculptures produced at the Ernst March's Earthenware Factory in Charlottenburg, inlcuding four allegorical sculptures (Beekeeping, Farming, Fishing, Harmony), two pairs of putti which flank the stairs to the pergola (the originals are displayed in the sculpture pavilion), two statues of dogs and a statue of Victoria. The selection of themes of the sculptures, as well as their placement in the garden adjacent to the private apartments of the Potocki family, not only indicates their in-depth knowledge of the latest trends in the sculpting art at the time, but also reflects the personal preferences of the owners of the residence.