Breed History
In 1474, the famous painter Andrea Mantegna included a dog resembling the Lagotto Romagnolo in a fresco in a palace in Mantua. Still, close cousins of the breed, Portuguese and Spanish command and barbet dogs, were known as early as the 7th century BC, during the time of the ancient Etruscans.
The roots of the Lagotto Ramangollo breed go far back in Italian history.
It is an ancient beautiful breed that has survived the centuries to the present day.
Drawings in the Etruscan town of Spina (near present-day Ferrara) depict hunting and fishing scenes involving a dog of a definite ramangollo-looking beauty, which is very similar to the lagotto we know. After the disappearance of the Etruscan civilization, we have evidence of lagotto-type dogs in both Roman and Medieval times.
Lagotto was mainly found along the eastern coast of the Italian peninsula, The earlier mentioned famous painting, a fresco by Andrea Mantegna titled “Meeting”, is in a chamber in the Ducal Palace in Mantua. It is dated around 1465-1474.
If you look closely at the painting, on the right side you can see a scene with a dog
at the feet of Marquis Ludovic III Gonzaga. The dog, of course, looks identical
to our present-day Lagotto.
“Dogs are our link to paradise.” – Milan Kundera
Another work of art with a dog resembling Ramangollo’s Lagotto,
is a self-portrait by Giovanni Francesco Barbieri, known as Guercino
– an Italian painter who lived from 1591 to 1666.
