Jane TANNER<br/>
<em>December (Child reading with dog and teddy bear)</em> (1991) <!-- () --><br />
illustration for <i>The 1992 Little Ark Children’s Calendar</i> compiled by Albert Ullin, published by Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1991<br />
coloured pencil, coloured pastels and gouache over pencil<br />
38.5 x 39.4 cm irreg. (image) 45.3 x 48.5 cm irreg. (sheet)<br />
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br />
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 2014<br />
2014.640<br />
© Copyright Jane Tanner
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Cats & Dogs

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square

Level 3

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Opens 1 Nov, ticketed

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Ticket prices
  • NGV Member Adult $13
  • NGV Member Child $6

    (5–15 years)

  • NGV Member Family $32
  • Adult $16
  • Child (5–15 years) $8
  • Concession $14

    Seniors card discount Wednesdays only

  • Family  $40

    (2 adults + 3 children)

NGV Members: Buy tickets

From cattle dogs to lap dogs, divine felines to the black cats of superstition, Cats & Dogs explores humanity’s deep connection to these animals through more than 250 works of art and design.

Drawn from the NGV Collection and spanning all periods and media, this exhibition of cats and dogs in art and design reveals how our domesticated companions have long been a rich source of visual imagery – from ancient history to the present day.

The exhibition features works by contemporary and historical artists including Rembrandt van Rijn, Francisco de Goya, Albrecht Dürer, Pierre Bonnard, Eileen Mayo, David Hockney, Jeff Koons, Hulda Guzmán and more alongside celebrated Australian artists, including Claudia Moodoonuthi, Trevor Turbo Brown, Atong Atem, Charles Blackman, Grace Cossington Smith and Nora Heysen.

Presented thematically, with dogs on one side and cats on the other, the exhibition unpacks particular behaviours, cultural symbolism and art-historical motifs. These include: working dogs and cats; mythology; religion and spirituality; and cats and dogs in popular culture.

Traversing painting, prints, drawings, textiles, photography, sculpture, decorative arts and fashion, Cats & Dogs reveals the global appeal of these animals across borders and cultures, with works from Australia, Europe, Asia and North America.

Does your pet belong in the NGV? In Cats & Dogs, you’re invited to share photos of your prized pooch or curious cat for display in the exhibition – supported by Major Partners, DINE® and MY DOG®.

Celebrating the role cats and dogs have played in screen and pop culture, NGV and the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) will present an exciting selection of cat and dog moments from film. Also included will be ephemera from the enduringly popular kids’ television program Felix the Cat, created by Australian illustrator Pat Sullivan.

Select Works

James WARD
Shepherd boy and sheep dog
watercolour and bodycolour over pencil
30.5 x 34.5 cm (sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Bequest of Howard Spensley, 1939
614-4
Thomas GAINSBOROUGH
Richard St George Mansergh-St George (c. 1776-1780)
oil on canvas
230.2 x 156.1 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1922
1223-3
Vernon Marbendinar
Mr Lion (Dingo story ku) 2016
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
66.5 x 22.8 x 96.5 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2016
2016.682
© The artist, courtesy Wik and Kugu Art Centre
POSTER DRESSES, London (manufacturer)
Harry GORDON (designer)
The cat, poster dress 1968
screen-printed rayon and nylon, plastic, paper, metal (staples)
(a) 86.5 cm (centre back) 53.0 cm (waist, flat) (dress) (b) 30.0 x 31.0 cm (plastic sleeve) (c) 29.6 x 29.6 cm (cardboard insert) (d) 9.0 x 30.6 cm (cardboard header)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, NGV Supporters of Fashion and Textiles, 2018
2018.1051.a-d
Théophile-Alexandre STEINLEN
Poster for the Company of the Black cat (1896)
(Prochainement la très illustre Compagnie du Chat Noir)
colour lithograph
56.3 x 36.0 cm (image) 61.9 x 40.0 cm (sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2022
2022.857
Elad LASSRY
Russian blue 2012
type C photograph, painted frame
(34.7 x 27.1 cm) (image) 36.8 x 29.1 x 3.8 cm (frame)
ed. 3/5
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Yvonne Pettengell Bequest, 2014
2014.37
© Elad Lassry
INDIAN
Prince Amar Singh II with sardars (c. 1695-1700)
opaque watercolour and gold paint on paper
23.2 x 15.7 cm (image) 26.7 x 19.2 cm (sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1980
AS70-1980
DI$COUNT UNIVER$E, Melbourne (fashion house)
Cami JAMES (designer)
Nadia NAPREYCHIKOV (designer)
Poodle dress, gemstone underwear and fishnet 2015 {autumn-winter, Dreams and Screams collection 2015}
silk, plastic (sequins), elastic
(a) 142.7 cm (centre front) 61.0 cm (sleeve length) (poodle dress) (b) 31.5 x 31.5 cm (gemstone underwear) (c) 107.5 x 32.0 cm (fishnet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2016
2016.5.a-c
© Discount Universe Pty Ltd
Venkat Raman Singh SHYAM
The world of the Gonds 2017
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
125.0 x 91.0 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2019
2019.661
© Venkat Shyam, courtesy of Minhazz Majumdar
Henri de TOULOUSE-LAUTREC
May Belfort 1895
colour lithograph
80.4 x 60.8 cm (sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1948
1847-4
VINCENNES PORCELAIN FACTORY, Paris (manufacturer)
Dog (c. 1753)
porcelain (soft-paste)
18.3 x 25.4 x 15.8 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of The Wynne Morris Collection, Governor, 1983
D16-1983
Gerhard MARCKS
Dignitaries 1921
(Hohe Herrschaften)
woodcut
28.7 x 23.0 cm (block) 36.6 x 30.2 cm (sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Gift of Mrs Olive Hirschfeld, 1971
P58-1971
© Gerhard Marcks/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn. Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia Sydney
Atong ATEM
Maria of Mars (2022)
inkjet print
(148.1 x 98.3 cm) (image and sheet)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, Victoria Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2022
2022.1561
© Atong Atem
Septimus POWER
Staghunt, Exmoor 1911
oil on canvas
114.8 x 183.8 cm
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Felton Bequest, 1913
577-2

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