History of the Phalene

It is said, that the actual Phalene was originated in Spain; even though his name is a french name and stands for "Moth".
The Phalene belongs to the Spaniel Group, and is the original dog where the  Papillon later developed from.
A Phalene carries his ears down, a Papillon's ears are up.
Not too many people know that all the way to the 19Th century, there where almost exclusively Phalenes.
They where then known world wide, and only from the 19Th century on the Papillons became a known breed.
In the Renaissance, there where many painters/artists, who painted the Phalenes.
Many famous people owned a Phalene:
Henry II of France bought a Phalene for 100.000 Krone.
Marie Antoinette, Madame de Pompadour, and Henry III of France also had a big love for Phalenes.

Porträt von „Clarissa Strozzi“ mit kleinem Spaniel Hund (Tizian, ca. 1542)





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