Dogs in Art

Taking an unhealthy amount of photos of our canine companions is not just a 21st-century thing. Dogs have featured in photos, paintings, and sculptures for centuries, both as an accompaniment to a visual display and as the centrepieces of the artwork.

By taking a look at the depiction of dogs throughout the most recent centuries, the changing cultural significance of man’s best friend could not be more evident. From a prestige symbol of the wealthy to a common denominator in many modern households. From an interchangeable continuum of categories of dogs, to over 200 stand-alone breeds we see today. As society and culture have changed and evolved over the last few hundred years, so too has our relationship with these beloved creatures.

Earliest Depictions

Dogs have appeared in various forms of artwork for centuries, usually as the subject’s sidekick or showcasing the surrounding scenery. We could go all the way back to the first depictions of art, and dogs appear on cave walls and caverns. From the 17th century onwards, however, their role in paintings and society in general had begun to change to how we view them today. Dogs became increasingly celebrated as valuable companions for the wealthy and welcome strays for those in the more deprived areas. Many of the dogs we can see in timeless art pieces are, of course, those of the wealthy. From this time they are often depicted on their own, with no need for a human superior. The depictions attempt to highlight the individuality of the animal being portrayed, giving off a sense of their personality while also identifying them by name in the title. One such depiction can be seen in the painting below, created by John Wootton.

Dancing Dogs: ‘Lusette’, ‘Madore’, ‘Rosette’ and ‘Moucheby’ by John Wootton (1759): Via National Trust Collections

Known as a painter of sporting scenes such as hunting, Wootton began to commission artwork featuring dogs by 1740, pioneering a new wave of ‘dog artists’. These types of paintings often served a number of different purposes. Just like someone today may post a photo of their dog barking at the postman, or a video of them chasing their tail for hours on end, so too did artists of this time draw and paint for humor. The ‘Dancing Dogs’ shows off the fun personalities of the poodles as they frolic about with some grand and ornate decorations in the background. Alongside this, however, was a sentimental value. Dog artwork began to be commissioned to immortalize the gentry’s favorite pets, indicating the ever-growing companionship of man and dog. Take Horace Walpole for example. The famed English writer and historian had a framed painting of his dog, Patapan, in his bedroom, on the wall beside his family, until his death. Showcasing the changing portrayal of dogs from vivid hunting scenes to bedside companions, the 17th century marked a great change in the way we view and recognize these animals.

19th Century

Dog painting reached its climax in the 19th century, being popularized by those wanting to transform their dog’s image and personality into canvas. The Victorian era in Britain was a major driving force for this change. Queen Victoria had endless paintings of her various dogs produced and showcased to the population the idea of moving a dog from outside to inside your home. She was the first monarch to have her royal family painted which included all of her canine companions. The resulting depiction, as shown below, gives her dogs a similar significance to her daughter, Princess Victoria. Thus, a major change had begun from treating dogs as work hounds and hunting accessories to docile household pets.

Windsor Castle in Modern Times, showcasing Queen Victoria and Prince Albert with their greyhound ‘Eos’, the terrier ‘Dandit’, and others, by Edwin Landseer: Via National Trust/Anglesey Abbey

It wasn’t just the royals who wanted to showcase their fondness for their dogs. Take this sculpture of the Earl of Dudley’s Newfoundland dog, Bashaw, on display at the Victoria & Albert museum. Elaborate care was taken in finding and crafting the materials for this figure, with topaz, ruby, colored marble, and sardonyx all featuring in the model. Bashaw himself was required to sit and pose fifty times for the portrait! This life-sized sculpture took the depiction of dogs in art to a new level. Originally set with gems, the sculpture showcases the increasing lengths owners were willing to go to in an attempt to immortalize their pets through art. Not only this, but a change can also be seen with the type of dog being displayed going into the 20th century. Common mongrels and hunting dogs were slowly being moved out of the picture, and in their place were isolated and vastly different dog breeds. Newfoundlands, Pomeranians, spaniels, were all becoming prominent features in dog art. This reflected the changing ideal of having a household pet as part of the family, changing the purposes of these dogs from functional to domestic.

Bashaw, ‘The Faithful Friend of Man Trampling under Foot his most Insidious Enemy’, commission ed by the Earl of Dudley: Via the Victoria & Albert Museum/Sam Milligan

20th Century to the Modern Day

Fast forward a few decades, and dogs have become an artistic entity in themselves, at times replacing humans. Everyone is likely familiar with the infamous ‘Dogs Playing Poker’ series by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, even those not interested in art. This ties in with the humorous element originally intended by artists back in the Middle Ages, depicting dogs in humanoid settings. The anthropomorphism created by Coolidge in his series gives viewers a comedic value whilst leaving a strong impression. Perhaps people find entertainment in seeing dogs playing poker, cigars in hand and drinks on the table. Perhaps it resembles someone in everyone’s lives. Whatever the reason, these portraits have found a stronghold in modern society, displacing a casual image of a dog being a dog.

‘A Friend In Need’ by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge (1903): Via Wikimedia Commons

The paintings are reflections of what we see across social media today. Dogs have evolved with society, going from functional creatures to household pets who are akin in many respects to the humans with whom they live. The artwork they are depicted in showcases this evolving continuum, and how dogs have grown into simply another member of many households. Nowadays, you can get your own dog’s portrait superimposed onto a general’s uniform, or in the ensemble of a famous historic character. As society and technology continue to rapidly evolve, you can guarantee dogs will be at the front and center of any developing depictions of art.