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Cats & Dogs

The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square

Level 3

1 Nov 24 – 20 Jul 25

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.

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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.

NGV Collection

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Cats & Dogs
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James WARD<br/> <em>Shepherd boy and sheep dog</em> <!-- (recto) --><br /> watercolour and bodycolour over pencil<br /> 30.5 x 34.5 cm (sheet)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Bequest of Howard Spensley, 1939<br /> 614-4<br /> <!--27835--> Thomas GAINSBOROUGH<br/> <em>Richard St George Mansergh-St George</em> (c. 1776-1780) <!-- (recto) --><br /> oil on canvas<br /> 230.2 x 156.1 cm<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Felton Bequest, 1922<br /> 1223-3<br /> <!--3971--> Vernon Marbendinar<br/> <em>Mr Lion (Dingo story ku)</em> 2016 <!-- (full view) --><br /> synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)<br /> 66.5 x 22.8 x 96.5 cm<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2016<br /> 2016.682<br /> © The artist, courtesy Wik and Kugu Art Centre <!--122776--> POSTER DRESSES, London (manufacturer)<br /> Harry GORDON (designer)<br/> <em>The cat, poster dress</em> 1968 <!-- (front 3/4) --><br /> screen-printed rayon and nylon, plastic, paper, metal (staples)<br /> (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)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased, NGV Supporters of Fashion and Textiles, 2018<br /> 2018.1051.a-d<br /> <!--135190--> Théophile-Alexandre STEINLEN<br/> <em>Poster for the Company of the Black cat</em> (1896) <!-- (recto) --><br /> <em>(Prochainement la très illustre Compagnie du Chat Noir)</em><br /> colour lithograph<br /> 56.3 x 36.0 cm (image) 61.9 x 40.0 cm (sheet)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased NGV Foundation, 2022<br /> 2022.857<br /> <!--149650--> Elad LASSRY<br/> <em>Russian blue</em> 2012 <!-- (recto) --><br /> type C photograph, painted frame<br /> (34.7 x 27.1 cm) (image) 36.8 x 29.1 x 3.8 cm (frame)<br /> ed. 3/5<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Yvonne Pettengell Bequest, 2014<br /> 2014.37<br /> © Elad Lassry <!--111331--> INDIAN<br/> <em>Prince Amar Singh II with sardars</em> (c. 1695-1700) <!-- (recto) --><br /> opaque watercolour and gold paint on paper<br /> 23.2 x 15.7 cm (image) 26.7 x 19.2 cm (sheet)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Felton Bequest, 1980<br /> AS70-1980<br /> <!--53429--> DI$COUNT UNIVER$E, Melbourne (fashion house)<br /> Cami JAMES (designer)<br /> Nadia NAPREYCHIKOV (designer)<br/> <em>Poodle dress, gemstone underwear and fishnet</em> 2015 {autumn-winter, Dreams and Screams collection 2015} <!-- (front view ) --><br /> silk, plastic (sequins), elastic<br /> (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)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2016<br /> 2016.5.a-c<br /> © Discount Universe Pty Ltd <!--120059--> Venkat Raman Singh SHYAM<br/> <em>The world of the Gonds</em> 2017 <!-- (recto) --><br /> synthetic polymer paint on canvas<br /> 125.0 x 91.0 cm<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased NGV Foundation, 2019<br /> 2019.661<br /> © Venkat Shyam, courtesy of Minhazz Majumdar <!--141793--> Henri de TOULOUSE-LAUTREC<br/> <em>May Belfort</em> (1895) <!-- (recto) --><br /> colour lithograph<br /> 80.4 x 60.8 cm (sheet)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Felton Bequest, 1948<br /> 1847-4<br /> <!--40513--> VINCENNES PORCELAIN FACTORY, Paris (manufacturer)<br/> <em>Dog</em> (c. 1753) <!-- (view 1) --><br /> porcelain (soft-paste)<br /> 18.3 x 25.4 x 15.8 cm<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of The Wynne Morris Collection, Governor, 1983<br /> D16-1983<br /> <!--19390--> Gerhard MARCKS<br/> <em>Dignitaries</em> 1921 <!-- (recto) --><br /> <em>(Hohe Herrschaften)</em><br /> woodcut<br /> 28.7 x 23.0 cm (block) 36.6 x 30.2 cm (sheet)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Gift of Mrs Olive Hirschfeld, 1971<br /> P58-1971<br /> © Gerhard Marcks/VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn. Licensed by Copyright Agency, Australia Sydney <!--24783--> Atong ATEM<br/> <em>Maria of Mars</em> (2022) <!-- () --><br /> inkjet print<br /> (148.1 x 98.3 cm) (image and sheet)<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Purchased, Victoria Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 2022<br /> 2022.1561<br /> © Atong Atem <!--149739--> Septimus POWER<br/> <em>Staghunt, Exmoor</em> 1911 <!-- (recto) --><br /> oil on canvas<br /> 114.8 x 183.8 cm<br /> National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne<br /> Felton Bequest, 1913<br /> 577-2<br /> <!--2825-->

Installation views

Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024 Installation view of <em>Cats & Dogs</em> exhibition, The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square. Photo: Tom Ross<br/> Tom Ross 2024

Virtual Tour

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A closer look: Designing Cats and Dogs in Art & Design Essay

Publication

Cats and Dogs in Art & Design

For millennia, artists and designers have been inspired by the enduring relationship between humans and their feline and canine friends. From Egyptian antiquities and Islamic and Hindu iconography, through to European paintings and contemporary First Nations art, cats and dogs are universal subjects.

Featuring allegorical emblems and modern masterpieces, this richly illustrated book showcases more than 100 works of art and design depicting loyal dogs and spirited cats selected from the National Gallery of Victoria’s Collection. Whether you’re a dog lover or a cat person, these works reveal how deeply embedded our favourite animals are, not only in our lives but also within the history of art and design.

With contributions from Laurie Benson, Imogen Mallia-Valjan, Amita Kirpalani, Wayne Crothers, Susan van Wyk, Sophie Gerhard, Maria Quirk, Anna Honan, Michael Gentle and Charlotte Botica

This publication is generously supported by Joy Anderson.

Publisher
National Gallery of Victoria with Thames &
Hudson Australia
Format/dimensions: 250 mm (h) x 190 mm (w)
Extent: 232 pages
ISBN: 9781760764784
Category: Art history, Design
RRP: $49.95*
Published: November 2024

*Members discount available for publication purchases at the NGV Design store and online.

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Media release

28 Jun 24

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