British School, J. A. T., circa 1890 ‘Prize Old Spot Pig’, Portrait of a Gloucestershire Old Spot pig, initialled ’J.A.T.’ and titled ‘Prize Old Spot Pig’, oils on canvas.
Prize Pig
Dimensions: 39 x 49.5cm, in the original silvered gilt frame, 53 x 63cm, 5cm deep
The Gloucestershire Old Spot, Gloster Spot or just Old Spot, is also known as the ‘Orchard Pig’ and ‘The Cottager’s Pig’. The first pedigree records of pigs began in 1885, much later than it did for cattle, sheep and horses, because the pig was a peasant’s animal, a scavenger and was never highly regarded. The Gloucestershire Old Spots Breed Society was formed in 1913. No other pedigree spotted breed was recorded before 1913, so today’s Gloucestershire Old Spot is recognised as the oldest such breed in the world. To quote the British Pig Association, ‘Although if old paintings are to be trusted, there have been spotted pigs around for two or three centuries, the Gloucestershire Old Spots has only had pedigree status since the early 20th century’.
