See How History's Great Artists Painted Their Dogs

MARCH 28, 2023


A new exhibition showcases portraits of pets by the likes of Leonardo da Vinci and David Hockney



David Hockney's Dog Painting 19 (1995) © David Hockney / Richard Schmidt Collection / The David Hockney Foundation

Christopher Parker
Daily Correspondent

Plenty of exhibitions focus on humanity’s foundational relationships: humans and nature, humans and God, humans and each other.

But what about humans and their most loyal companions?

Opening tomorrow at London’s Wallace Collection, “Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney” traces the relationship between artists and their pet canines throughout history. After years of pandemic delays, museum officials say they are now prepared and excited to share the unique collection with the world.

“The way that our relationship with dogs—that unexplainable, loving bond—transgresses into art history is fascinating, and a greater reflection of society,” Xavier Bray, the exhibition’s curator, tells BBC Culture’s Matthew Wilson.



Leonardo da Vinci's Studies of a Dog's Paw (verso) (circa 1490–95) National Galleries of Scotland / Purchased by Private Treaty Sale with the aid of the Art Fund 1991 / © National Galleries of Scotland



Edwin Landseer's Queen Victoria's Spaniel ‘Tilco’ (1838) Anglesey Abbey / © National Trust

More:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/dog-portraits-wallace-collection-london-180981889/