Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
"Portrait of an Extraordinary Musical Dog"
Philip Reinagle
(1805)
This obviously talented dog has advantages no working-class dog could ever
dream of. She sits on a leather stool at a beautiful clavichord, a view of
the countryside to her left. Is her talent inborn (nature), or is it the
result of her advantaged upbringing (nurture)? How do we know that this is
a female dog? Females of "breeding" were expected to serve males, their
proper roles were to play pianos and sing (like the "niggers" in far off
new world plantations that their husbands owned), be subservient, not be
too bright, and get children and take care of the house (direct the staff
of servants).
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