A dachshund named Lump (Lump), which was once the Pablo Picasso Museum, is recognized as a popular symbol in the art world. Before becoming one of Picasso's most famous models, Lump belonged to American photojournalist David Douglas Duncan. The two visited Picasso's villa in Cannes in 1967, and after their initial meeting, Lump quickly jumped onto Picasso's lap and apparently decided to stay by his side. They lived together for six years.
Artistic History of Lump
The story of how Lump became connected with Picasso is not explicitly stated, but this special bond has been recorded in art: on the same day, Picasso painted a portrait of Lump on a ceramic plate, and Duncan captured a series of photographs of them at work. This plate and the photographs are now displayed in a new exhibition titled "Dachshund. A Symbol Unchained" at Kunsthalle Bremen, which will run until March 28, 2027.
Lump appears in many of Picasso's painting collections that reinterpret the classic work by Diego Velázquez titled "Las Meninas." In these works, the dachshund replaces the original large mastiff.
Cultural and Historical Role of Dachshunds
Dachshunds are easily recognizable due to their long ears and elongated bodies with short legs. They are known as a breed of German origin that was developed over 300 years ago for hunting and tracking badgers and other underground animals. Breed standards were established in 1879, and the German Dachshund Club (DTK), one of the oldest dog breeding organizations in Germany, was founded in 1888.
These dogs became known by the combination of the German words "dachs" (badger) and "hund" (dog). In English-speaking countries, they are informally referred to as "wiener dogs" or "sausage dogs." Beyond their role as hunting dogs, dachshunds hold a special place in Germany's cultural history, from bourgeois stereotypes to Olympic symbols.
The last German Emperor, Kaiser Wilhelm II, was a great enthusiast of dachshunds and owned several of them. Two of his dogs, Wadl and Haxelzum, caused a minor diplomatic incident in 1908 during a trip to the estate of Archduke Franz Ferdinand at the Knöppchen Palace. These dogs allegedly killed one of the Archduke's favorite golden peacocks, which was widely discussed in aristocratic circles.
Dachshunds were also depicted as symbols of Germany in political cartoons and propaganda maps during World War I. However, their popularity in the United States declined during World War I due to this association, and their owners used the term "liberty dogs" instead of the German name.
In World War II, dachshunds were used for military purposes such as mine detection. However, bizarre stories published by the British press about the Nazis' intentions to create dachshund armies were clearly false.
Nevertheless, the charm and liveliness of dachshunds are one of the main themes of the current exhibition. These dogs seem to have a sense of humor and can easily convey joy and happiness. In the 1970s, these dogs inspired the official mascot of the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich named Waldi. This mascot symbolized a new image for West Germany and contrasted with the heavy symbols of the Third Reich.
