His Master’s Voice
You may be familiar with one of the most famous trademarks of the 20th Century. It features a little dog that I think is a fox terrier, looking down the horn of an old-fashioned gramophone. He has a puzzled expression on his face and his head is tilted quizzically.
Murray Smith
This trademark has quite a touching story. It comes from an 1898 painting called His Master’s Voice. The dog has a name — Nipper. He got this name because of his frisky habit of greeting strangers when they came to the house, with a little ‘nip’ to their ankles. Nipper (1884-1895) had been a homeless stray until he was taken in and adopted by Mark Henry Barraud, a scenery designer for a London theatre. After Mark’s death in 1887, Nipper went to live with Barraud’s younger brothers, Francis and Philip.
Francis, a gifted artist, noticed Nipper often curiously staring down the gramophone horn, listening to the sound of Mark’s voice which had been pre-recorded before he died. The whimsical scene of little Nipper trying to figure out how Mark had got inside the gramophone ‘box’ and now evidently stayed in there because he could hear his voice, made a lasting impression on Francis. Three years after Nipper’s death, Francis re-created the scene on canvas in a painting he called “His Master’s Voice.” He later sold the painting to The Gramophone Company which formed Electric and Musical Industries Ltd (EMI) and HMV.
From early childhood I’ve liked this painting, and I connect with its winsome story as a dog owner. There’s something irresistibly gratifying about your four-legged friend affectionately scrambling up at you, having heard the sound of your voice. It’s somewhat similar to a frequently occurring analogy in the Bible referring to us being God’s ‘sheep’ and with Him being our ‘shepherd’, we lean in, inclining ourselves to hearing his voice. In that Middle Eastern context, the relationship between shepherd and sheep differs markedly from New Zealand pastoral practice. I’ve witnessed sheep there following their shepherd – not ‘driven’ from behind… rather, called by name – they follow as the shepherd leads from the front. Recognising his ‘voice’, they have learned to confidently trust him.
The nurturing, protective intimacy conveyed in this relationship was reiterated by Jesus who stated, ‘I am the Good Shepherd,’ demonstrating a love and delight for His ‘sheep’ that even extended to Him being willing to lay down His life to save us. He seeks to tenderly lead, guide and watch over us as His ‘flock’…learning to hear His voice personally is integral in this relationship. The Bible is His word to us – it’s timeless truth, His voice to our soul.
Perhaps it’s struck you, how many confusing ‘voices’ in the world today claim attention, seeking to manoeuvre us into alignment with one thing or another. It really matters what messages we listen to and that we carefully discern the source and the intent of ‘voices’ out there.
Knowing Jesus as ‘Master’ and friend and recognising “The Master’s Voice” produces unequalled confidence and peace in life…we were built for this – without it, we’ll never be complete.
In England, artist Francis Barraud painted his brother’s dog Nipper listening to the horn of an early phonograph during the winter of 1898. Victor Talking Machine Company began using the symbol in 1900, and Nipper joined the RCA family in 1929.
