Dog Gone It! (Man's Best Friend in Art)

Dogs are called "mans best friend" and often times in paintings, they can be a symbol for friendship. They can also mean guidance, protection, loyalty, or faithfulness. 

Dogs have been around a long time. Even hundreds of years ago humans and dogs were buddies.

This is a painting done on a cave a very long time ago
showing a hunter and his dog.

In other pieces of art done a long time ago, dogs are shown to.

Like in mosaics (pictures made up of tiny pieces, like a puzzle)

and stone carving.

Dog Mosaic at the Olearie Exhibit – Rome, Italy

Cave Canem – Mosaic dog – Pompeii, Italy

 Link to color this online on Enchanted Learning website

 

Assyrian carving

And since dogs are called "mans best friend", they are often

shown with people as their friends.

A Girl - David Burliuk

 

 A Ride Through Water

 

Dog 3-Briton Riviere

 

Tahitian Pastorale - Paul Gaugin (1898)

Sara With Her Dog - Mary Cassatt

 

Costume Design - Woman Dressed in Black With Furs, Hat,

 and Dog On A Lead -Erte

 

The Watermelon - Grace Hudson

Boy With A Dog - Pablo Picasso (1905)

And sometimes a dog's buddy doesn't have to be a person.

Doubtful Crumbs - Edwin Henry Landseer (1858)

At The Stables - Edgar Degas

 

Sometimes dogs will get their very own pictures painted.

A Sleeping Dog With Terracotta-Pot - Gerrit Dou (1650)

Head Of A Dog - Edouard Manet (1876)

 

Loup-Garou -  George Rodrigue (1991)

Study Of A Dog - Jean Leon Gerome

And sometimes pictures of dogs might seem a little weird or different. But there are many different ways to show things in art.

Dog Barking At the Moon - Joan Miro (Joan=Juan)

Portrait Of Maurice - Andy Warhol (1976)

This painting is called "His Master's Voice" and shows a

dog listening to his owner's voice on an old record player.

 

This painting call  "Their Master's Voice" by Michael Sowa shows A LOT of dogs listening to an old record player.

Little Dog's Rock - Jacek Yerka

Do you see the dog in the rocks?

And it's not just pictures. Puppies and dogs can be made into sculpture to.

Puppy" by Jeff Koons is 43 feet high and made of flowers!

 

Balloon Dog is 10 feet high!

He is made of stainless steel.

(Note to parents: If you Google Jeff Koons, be aware he has some racy pieces that may come up. It's not all puppies and kittens.)