A Dog of Flanders is a novel written in 1872 by Marie Louise de la Rameé. It tells the story of Nello and his dog Patrasche, set in Antwerp in the 19th century. Nello was orphaned at the age of two. His grandfather, Jehann Daas, was left in his care. Years later, Nello and his grandfather find a dog that has been beaten almost to death. They take him in and look after him. They name him Patrasche. Due to Jehann Daas’ good care, the dog recovers, and from then on Nello and Patrasche become inseparable. Since they are very poor, Nello has to help his grandfather deliver milk and Patrasche helps Nello every morning. Nello falls in love with Aloise, the daughter of Nicholas Cogez, a well-off man who does not like his daughter having a poor man as a boyfriend. Although Nello is illiterate, he has a great talent for drawing, so he enters a drawing competition in Antwerp, hoping to win the first prize of 200 francs. However, the jury chooses another winner. Later, Nello is wrongly accused by Nicholas of causing a fire. His grandfather dies in those days. His situation becomes increasingly desperate. With nowhere to go, Nello wants to go to the Antwerp Cathedral to see Rubens’ “The Raising of the Cross” and “The Descent from the Cross”, but the exhibition is only for those who pay, and he has no money. On Christmas Eve, at night, Nello and Patrasche go there and find the door open. The next morning, the two are found frozen to death, embracing each other, in front of the triptych. The beautiful sculpture of Nello and Patrasche is in Antwerp and is the work of the sculptor Batist ‘Tist’ Vermeulen. The sculpture is a celebration of pure, unconditional friendship. The story of Nello and Patrache also has a universal message: friendship conquers all, even beyond death.
