Dogs in Art

Description

From the Zoroastrian sculpture of a 100kg mastiff to the portrait of a coiffured lapdog, Dogs in Art presents humanity's best friend like never before. Through a wide range of genres, fashions and cultures, from Roman mosaics to pop art, video, impressionism and photography, this book brings together more than 200 breathtaking canine images to tell the story of dogs in art, from ancient times to the present. Susie Green considers the artist's often very personal motives behind their work, the vastly different cultural raison d'etres, and the reasons why these sentient, emotional beings are loved and trusted by hundreds of millions of people, including artists such as Hogarth, William Wegman and Lucien Freud. The perfect gift for the many dog lovers around the world, this beautifully illustrated volume offers a dynamic new perspective on our relationship with this much cherished animal.

Susie Green has studied animals in art extensively and written numerous books on human interaction with animals, including Bird Messages (2018), Animal Messages (2015), Tiger (Reaktion, 2006) and Talk to Your Dog (2005). She lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, UK.

"If nothing else, everyone in your living room should be able to agree on one thing after looking at this book: Every dog in the history of art is a very good dog."-- "Great Big Story" "This beautiful book traces the history of dogs in art, from Roman mosaics to pop art and video, covering a wide range of genres, fashions, and cultures. . . . There are more than two hundred stunning images throughout these pages. . . . The result is not just a beautiful book, but one which give us a fascinating insight to the lives and times of artists such as Sir Edwin Landseer and Frida Kahlo through their connection with, and love of, dogs."-- "Your Dog" "This refreshing look at the dog in art runs over eight chapters. There is Landseer, Cubism, Japanese art, sculpture, and pop art, too. Through these striking images the story of the dog in art is traced, but also the story of the dog's relationship to man and what it means."-- "Field" "Green's book is a useful primer on the history of dog depictions, spanning time, media, and world cultures. . . . The book's text is garlanded by myriad image reproductions, often accompanied by informative captions that go beyond the usual rote artist/year/medium information and include further commentaries on the works."--Benjamin Riley "New Criterion" "Dogs in Art is a refreshing primer on a subject old as time, as evidenced by Egyptian and pre-Columbian artifacts highlighted . . . in this seminal work. A handsome, well-researched book, it strikes the perfect balance between an academic thesis and a popular art history tour. . . . Green takes the reader on an artistic tour across time, from ancient Rome through the Renaissance and into the twenty-first century. A thoughtful writer, she shares insights into the many ways dogs have been depicted in art through the ages, and how those depictions have mirrored the evolution of human cultures and societies. A number of exquisite works rarely seen in print are included, as are numerous sly revelations. With this tome, she has achieved that rare feat of personalizing a much-studied field, and deserves our congratulations."-- "The Bark"