Photo: Portrait of a Noblewoman by Lavinia Fontana, ca.
Of these creatures, dogs are one of the most popular subjects for painting, sculpture, and photography.
They even show up in ancient art.
Photo: “Portrait of a Noblewoman” by Lavinia Fontana, ca. 1580 (left); “A Friend in Need” from the “Dogs Playing Poker” series by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, 1903 (right)
InPompeii, a dog mosaic was found in theHouse of the Tragic Poet.
The words at the bottom,Cave Canem, translate to beware of the dog.
Cave Canem Poeta Tragico.
Cave Canem Poeta Trágico. (Photo: MiguelHermoso viaWikimedia Commons,CC BY-SA 4.0)
One charming example includes a pair of canines found near Civita Lavinia, Italy in 1774.
Marble statue of a pair of dogs, 1 CE 199 CE.
Portrait of a Noblewoman by Lavinia Fontana, ca.
Marble statue of a pair of dogs, 1 CE – 199 CE. (Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum,CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Pieter Bruegel the Elder famously captured this in his iconic painting,Hunters in the Snow.
The piece features two men who are followed by their pack of loyal dogs.
Although the hunters are the intended focus of the piece, its the canines who convey the most emotion.
“Portrait of a Noblewoman” by Lavinia Fontana, ca. 1580. (Photo: viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Having just returned from an unsuccessful hunt, they appear unhappy with their heads in shame.
The Hunters in the Snow by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565.
This lead to dog portraits, where the animals were the stars of the piece.
“The Hunters in the Snow” by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1565. (Photo: viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
Still Life with Three Puppies by Paul Gauguin, 1888.
They each feature a group of dogs playing a game of poker.
It cemented dogs as viable art subjects in the modern era.
“Still Life with Three Puppies” by Paul Gauguin, 1888. (Photo:MoMA)
A Friend in Need from the Dogs Playing Poker series by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, 1903.
When it comes to contemporary works,Jeff Koonshas created some of the most famous dog art of all.
His larger-than-lifeBalloon Dogsculptures continue to be a hit and haveinspired home decor.
“A Friend in Need” from the “Dogs Playing Poker” series by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, 1903. (Photo: viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
In addition to that iconicpop art, he also createdPuppyin 1995.
Standing nearly 41 feet tall, the giant sculpture is a flowering representation of a pupliterally.
Its still on view at its permanent home at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.
“Puppy” by Jeff Koons, 1995. (Photo:Iakov Filimonov / Shutterstock.com)
Puppy by Jeff Koons, 1995.
(Photo: The Trustees of the British Museum,CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Sleeping Puppy by Rembrandt Harmensz.
van Rijn, ca.
“A Dog Resting” by Albrecht Dürer, 1520-1521. (Photo: © The Trustees of the British Museum,CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Sleeping Puppy” by Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn, ca. 1640. (Photo: viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
“A King Charles Spaniel” by Edouard Manet ca. 1866. (Photo:Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, Public domain)
“Head of a Dog” by Auguste Renoir, 1870. (Photo:Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection, Public domain)
“Head Of A Dog” by Edvard Munch, 1930 (Photo: viaWikimedia Commons, Public domain)
“Itzcuintli Dog With Me” byFrida Kahlo, 1938
“Portrait of Maurice” by Andy Warhol, 1976
“Dog” by Alberto Giacometti, 1951
The Dog Bark Park Inn (Photo:Alan Levine(CC BY 2.0)
Big Dog Information Centre
Photo: Jason Kenzie (Read more:Adorable Underbelly Photos of Dogs Raise Funds for Animal Welfare)
