Peter the Pup was a marionette made by Stanley Maile during the first world war from old rags and bits of cloth. The story goes that he made the puppet either in the trenches or (and seems more likely) while he was a prisoner of war.
I photographed and drew the pup in 1992 at the home of Ann Hogarth after he had been bought by the Hogarth family and found fame as Muffin the Mule's friend on Children's TV.
Over the years I used Muffin and Peter and friends in two of my paintings 'David's Journey' and 'Love That Dare's' as symbols of my childhood.
I am currently using them again in a new painting 'Dreamtime' which is about escaping from Lockdown.
Peter the Pup seems a good symbol for containment and escape considering his beginnings. (you can see a photograph of the puppet on my latest Instagram and Facebook posts.)
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