The English Maximalista

Perhaps my most favourite art museum in the world is the Peggy Guggenheim Collection, set within the walls of her former home at Palazzo Venier dei Leoni in Venice. In 2016, my daughter (AKA the Top Banana) and I were exploring the peaceful gardens at the Palazzo when we happened upon Peggy Guggenheim’s gravestone, beside which was another headstone listing the names of all her dogs.

It was profoundly moving to see the sweet memorial to her beloved pets. I decided in that moment to create a loving memorial for my own. If Peggy Guggenheim can do it, then it’s okay for the English Maximalista to do it as well! 

Ever since then, in each home I’ve owned, I have designated an area to display paintings of our dogs. The majority of these were gifted to me by the Top Banana who, when she was a child, would give me her artwork as gifts for Christmas / Mother’s Day / birthdays, etc. To this day, I still proudly display these treasures throughout my home.

Thank you to the Top Banana, for gifting me with so much original artwork. And thank you to the late Peggy Guggenheim, for inspiring me with your sweet idea.

*****

Even though my naughty Sadie has captured our hearts, she wasn’t the first dog to do so, and I’m sure she won’t be the last. Mr Maximalista and I dearly love our dogs, and miss them when they are gone, so it’s comforting for us to have this dedicated space in our new home: a modest shrine to honour their memory.

We walk past the pictures of our dogs, hanging in the cheetah vestibule, dozens of times each day. What was originally a dark little hallway is now filled with light and love. (Please excuse my mushy sentimentality — you know how daft we English are, regarding our dogs!)

Until just yesterday, the ashes [in urns, of course!] of my previous dogs were tucked away in my bedroom closet, safely bubble-wrapped in the packing box from when we moved here last year. All along, I have known that I wanted to create a special resting place for my loves, I merely hadn’t gotten around to doing it, yet.

In this packing box, I found their old dog collars and dog tags, as well as the pawprints provided to us by their vets, which I framed in a shadow box (below), last night.

Truthfully, I had been dreading unpacking this last box, knowing that it would make me feel sad. And indeed, it DID make me feel really sad… but I’m glad I finally did it. Since our narrow vestibule is simply too tiny to safely set the urns, they are now resting together on a display shelf in our family room, instead.

Sorting out the peeling cheetah wallpaper situation in the vestibule, for Monday’s blog, seeing their little faces peeking down out me was just the impetus I needed.

Lots of love,

M xo