The latest exhibition at the Wallace Collection is every dog lovers dream! Portraits of Dogs: From Gainsborough to Hockney, is open from 29 March 2023 to 15 October 2023. Dubbed by The Telegraph as 'A treat for art-lovers and dog-lovers alike' this paw-some exhibition brings together an incredible collection of artwork ranging from paintings to sculpture, drawings, and even taxidermy. The works span the ages, celebrating doggos from as far back as the 1700's!
Edwin Landseer, Hector, Nero and Dash with the Parrot Lory, 1838
This heart-warming exhibition is dedicated to man's best friend, celebrating the history of that special bond. Far from a modern phenomenon, humans have had and captured their four-legged friends in artworks since as far back as the prehistoric period. As long as we’ve had dogs by our side, we’ve been letting as many people as possible know about our love for them. According to the Wallace Collection, “[more] than any other nationality perhaps, the British have both commissioned and collected portraits of dogs.”
David Hockney, Stanley and Boodgie, 1995
Some of the highlights of historical works include Jean-Jacques Bachelier, Dog of the Hanava Breed, 1768, which proves that tying a bow in a dog’s fur is far from a modern trend, and Edwin Landseer, Hector, Nero and Dash with the Parrot Lory, 1838, which captures a touching interspecies friendship. Other featured artists include Leonardo da Vinci, Rosa Bonheur, and Thomas Gainsborough.
Jean-Jacques Bachelier, Dog of the Hanava Breed, 1768
The Wallace Collection’s director, Dr Xavier Bray is the hooman to two pugs, Bluebell and Winston. He was offered access to a wide variety of works from the genre of dog portraits. ‘The idea of curating an exhibition of dog portraiture has been in the pipeline for a long time and, fortunately, the Wallace Collection lends itself perfectly to the staging of such an exhibition,’ he says.
‘Portraits of Dogs from Gainsborough to Hockney’ runs until 15 October 2023 at the Wallace Collection, London. wallacecollection.org