It’s hard to believe that the dog some of us know for its pampered appearance was once an impoverished street dog in the 1800s. The Bichon Frise was saved largely by street venders who parlayed the breed’s charm and native smarts into circus attractions and trick performances in itinerant fairs called “fêtes foraines.” This was a dramatic fall from grace from a time when King Henry III doted on his Bichon whom he carried in a tray basket, the dog festooned in color ribbons and his soft coat sprinkled with expensive perfumes. Henry’s eccentric custom created a French verb used to this day: Bichonner: To pamper and make beautiful.

Bichon Frise by Maria Pishvanova who portrays breeds as royalty. Find her work here.