The dog in art history

The dog is not only the best friend of humans , but also a popular motif in art . He has been accompanying people on their ways for thousands of years and reflects their culture, feelings and relationships with nature.

In this article we want to make a foray through art history and shed light on the role of the dog in different eras, works and art forms . We also find out how Dachshund, Pug and Co. perceive art and whether our loyal companion can also create art itself.

What role does the dog play in art?

The dog is one of the oldest pets in humans and therefore has a long history with him. Already in the Stone Age there are rock paintings that represent dogs as hunting companions or guards.

In many old cultures, the dog was also worshiped as a symbol for certain gods, saints or virtues . For example, in ancient Egypt, he was considered a companion to the god of death, in ancient Greece as an attribute of the god of healing asklepios or in the Middle Ages as a symbol of loyalty and vigilance.

The image of the four -legged friend began to walk in the Renaissance It has now been increased as a status symbol or as an expression of personality and character.

Many famous artists such as Leonardo da Vinci , Albrecht Dürer or Rembrandt paint portraits of themselves or other people with their dogs. The dog became part of the individual identity and lifestyle.

In the modern age, the dog finally became a versatile and experimental motif in art. He was able to convey both realism as well as abstraction , humor or criticism. Artists like Pablo Picasso , Andy Warhol or Jeff Koons used the animal as inspiration for their innovative works.

As a result, they created new forms and meanings for different dog breeds and for the unique relationship between dogs and humans.

Well -known works of art with dogs

There are countless works of art that show or thematize dogs. Here are some examples of well -known works from different epochs and styles:

"The lady with the ermine" by Leonardo da Vinci (around 1490)

The portrait shows Cecilia Gallerani, the Duke of Milan's lover, with a white ermine on her arm. Hermelin is a kind of weasel that is often confused with a small dog.

It symbolizes purity, beauty and cleverness.

"Lying dog in the snow" by Franz Marc (1911)

The expressionist picture shows a colorful accumulation of animals, including a blue fox, a yellow tiger, a red deer and a green dog.

The colors have a symbolic meaning: blue stands for the spiritual, yellow for the female, red for the male and green for nature.

The balloon dog by Jeff Koons (1994-2000)

The sculpture is an oversized replica of a balloon dog made of shiny stainless steel. It belongs to a series of five balloon animals in different colors (red, blue, yellow, magenta and orange).

It plays with the contrast between the child's motif and the high -quality material and asks questions about the value and meaning of art .

Keith Haring's dog (1985)

The graffiti shows a stylized dog that consists of a black outline and red dots. The dog is one of the best -known symbols of the American artist who campaigned for social justice and peace.

The dog can express various emotions depending on whether it barks, growls or smiles.

Dog artwork in front of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao

The dog art in front of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao is a huge sculpture of a West Highland Terrier puppy, which is covered with colorful flowers. It is called “Puppy” and was created by the American artist Jeff Koons.

He has been on the museum site since 1997 and is one of the most popular photo motifs in the city.

5 European artists who came to the dog

People appreciate dogs as their closest companions. It is therefore not surprising that artists such as painters, sculptors and photographers were also inspired by them.

However, one has rarely seen such an extraordinary creative implementation as with these five European artists who are presented by DW in the following video.

In which art forms can dogs otherwise be seen?

In addition to painting and sculpture, there are many other art forms in which dogs play a role.

Here are some examples:

literature

Dogs are frequent and welcome protagonists or companions in novels, stories or poems. You can drive the action forward, create a certain mood or reflect the character traits of people.

Some famous literary dogs are Argos from the Odyssey, Lassie from Eric Knight's novel of the same name or Snoopy from Charles M. Schulz's comic.

film

Four -legged friends are popular actors or minor figures in films of various genres. You can ensure tension, comedy or emotion.

Some well-known cinematic dogs are, for example, Rin Tin Tin from the adventure films of the 1920s, Toto from the magician of OZ from 1939 or Beethoven from the US comedy of the same name from 1992.

Music

Fell noses are often the subject or inspiration for songs or pieces of music. You can strengthen or contrast the feelings or message of the artist.

Some well-known musical dogs include Old Shep from Red Foley's country song, Lucy from the Beatles song Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds or Snoop Dogg from the Rap-Song Who on I (What's My Name)? from 1993.

photography

The representation of dogs also extends to motifs or models for photographs. These works of art capture the beauty or personality of the animal or tell exciting stories.

Some well -known dogs in photos are, for example, Mopsi from the portraits of Man Ray, nipper from the logo of the record company His Master's Voice or Laika from the space photos of the Soviet space mission Sputnik 2.

Can dogs create art independently?

The question of whether dogs themselves can also create art is not easy to answer. It depends on how to define art and what criteria you create.

There are some examples of dogs that allegedly painted or were involved in artistic projects. For example:

• Tillamook Cheddar: The Jack-Russell Terrier was called "the world's first and most famous painting dog". He was trained by his owner, an artist, to bring color on paper with his teeth and paws. His works were exhibited and sold in several galleries.
• William Wegman : The American photographer and video artist is known for his humorous pictures and films with his Weimaraners. He disguises his dogs as humans or animals and stages them in different situations. His works were shown in many museums and have become part of pop culture.
• Dogumenta : The legendary art exhibition for dogs took place in New York in 2017. She was organized by an art critic who was inspired by her terrier. The exhibition showed ten works by various artists who were specially designed for the senses and behavior of dogs.

These examples show that dogs can at least participate in artistic activities if they are stimulated by humans.

It is difficult to say whether you have your own creative intention or only react to stimuli. So it remains open whether dogs can really create art or not.

How do dogs experience painting and works of art?

Different than we humans, four-legged friends perceive the (art) world. You have a different vision, a different sense of smell and a different sense of taste. Therefore, you cannot experience painting and works of art as we do.

However, this does not mean that you have no interest or no reaction to art. It depends on how art is designed and how it appeals to the dogs.

Dogs have a limited color vision that can only distinguish blue and yellow. They also see fewer details and contrasts than humans. Therefore, they are attracted to shapes, movements and patterns than colors. For example, you can recognize geometric figures or silhouettes and react to it.

In contrast, four-legged friends have a very pronounced sense of smell that is up to 100,000 times better than that of humans. You can therefore gain a lot more information from smells than from seeing.

For example, you can determine the emotions, health or identity of another living being based on his smell. Works of art that leave a fragrance or a trail are therefore particularly popular with our four -legged friends.

Finally, dogs have a different sense of taste than we humans. Because they have fewer taste buds, they can taste less sweet, sour, bitter or salty.

But they are more sensitive to meat taste and umami. Essential works of art, even if it is only a treat, is certainly a great success with your four -legged friend.

In summary, one can say that dogs experience painting and works of art differently than their owners. They are more fascinated by works of art that stimulate their senses in a different way than ours.

But that does not mean that you cannot enjoy art. It depends on how we bring art closer to them and interpret their reactions.

Joachim Rodriguez y Romero

Owner and managing director of Kunstplaza. Publicist, editor and passionate blogger in the field of art, design and creativity since 2011. Successful conclusion in web design as part of a university degree (2008). Further development of creativity techniques through courses in free drawing, expression painting and theatre/acting. Profound knowledge of the art market through many years of journalistic research and numerous collaborations with actors/institutions from art and culture.

www.kunstplaza.de/