Dogs in Art: A 2,000 Year History

Man's best friend is often also his muse. And why not? They are part of our everyday lives, they sit still when trained to, and they come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, and sizes. But aside from all that, dogs are emotive, loyal, and pure in spirit. A mosaic in Pompeii, shown above, warned visitors of the presence of a dog in the home. Tile lasts longer than a dog, so we assume the residents would always have a dog. The tiles have lasted two millennia so far. And artists have been documenting those wonderful dogs ever since. They are included in royal portraits, street scenes, and highlighted as the main subject in many paintings and sculptures.

Dogs are iconic. They can stand in for a person, or represent what we cold be, if we were better humans.

Read about the history of dogs in art, and meet some of the wonderful artists who bring them to life for posterity at My Modern Met. The article includes dozen of pictures.

(Top image credit: Miguel Hermoso Cuesta)