Featuring works from the Collections of both the NGV and ACMI, Cats & Dogs explores the history of humanity’s deep connection with these wonderful animals. As well as being loyal companions, our furry friends have long been a rich source of visual imagery for artists and designers. This cross-cultural exhibition showcases a diverse range of imagery through separate areas dedicated to each animal, which are arranged into thematic sections. Whether you’re a devoted cat lover, a dog enthusiast or undecided, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Bruce Armstrong
Australian 1957–2024
Nap
1986
red gum (Eucalyptus sp.)
Michell Endowment, 1986DC8-1986
Sculptor Bruce Armstrong was fascinated by ancient monuments, creation mythologies and animistic beliefs that all creatures and objects have a soul. He loved to reference, as he did here, French Romanesque sculpture from the eleventh century and British medieval funerary monuments. A cat lover, Armstrong always had them prowling around his home and studio. He loved historical depictions of cats in art, such as the celebrated Sleeping Cat (Nemuri-neko), a polychrome wood carving attributed to the seventeenth-century master Hidari Jingorō that adorns the Tōshō-gū Shrine in Nikkō, Japan. Around the time that he created Nap, Armstrong had a dream that he was asleep in a bed, guarded by a cat at each of the four corners of his mattress, an image that he soon realised using red gum.
SMACK
Dutch est. 2005
Speculum Eden
2019
three-channel, colour digital video, sound
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2024
Speculum is a contemporary interpretation of the triptych by the Netherlandish painter Hieronymous Bosch The Garden of Earthly Delights, 1490–1510 (Museo del Prado, Madrid, Spain), a cautionary tale based on the creation story from the Old Testament. This video features recognisably modern motifs in place of Bosch’s arcane images to make this morality tale relevant for today’s audience. The film depicts the Garden of Eden before Adam and Eve were tempted by the Devil to take the apple, after which Paradise became corrupted. Prior to that moment, all animals lived in harmony, and while this is a vibrant and animated scene, there is no conflict occuring between the species. Numerous cats are present, most of which are sleeping despite the relentless activity happening around them, alluding to how idyllic life was before the intervention of Satan.
Vipoo Srivilasa
Thai born 1969, lives in Australia 1997–
Beneath the Tree of Love
2024
porcelain, painted wood
Purchased with funds donated by Rob Gould Foundation, 2024
Vipoo Srivilasa frequently explores cross-cultural and migration experiences with a playful blend of European historical figurines and Asian decorative art. Beneath the Tree of Love draws inspiration from two sources: the motif of devotional love found in Hindu painting and The music lesson, c.1765, a large sculpture by the Chelsea Porcelain Factory held in the NGV Collection.
Srivilasa’s intricately crafted sculpture features two bearded figurines accompanied by their beloved pets – two cats and a dog – representing two of the most cherished human companions. Through the composition of the work, the artist seeks to ‘evoke the essence of a wedding cake, symbolising love, equality and sacrifice’.
New acquisition
Fred M. Wilcox director
American 1907–64
Lassie Come Home
1943
digital file transferred from 35mm Technicolor, sound, 1 hour 29 minutes
extract shown: 1 minute, 43 seconds
Courtesy Warner Brothers Media
Lassie Come Home is a feature film starring Pal (1940–58), a rough collie and the first canine actor to portray the fictional dog Lassie. The film tells the heartfelt story of Lassie’s cross-country journey to return to the boy Joe (Roddy McDowell), with whom she shares a special bond. The film was a major success, and Pal, who did his own stunts, stared in five subsequent Lassie features.
Dogs Can Act, Cats Would Prefer Not To
2024
digital file, colour, sound, 25 mins
Courtesy ACMI
Film excerpts:
Dogs love to please people – they want to help, they really do. They enjoy learning new tricks and their hair always looks great, so naturally they make excellent screen actors. Dogs are innately good: when a character has a loyal dog, it’s a hopeful sign. Max, in Mad Max 2 (1981), may be burnt out and taciturn, but his steadfast blue heeler proves his humanity is still intact. The universally understood truth that children and dogs form deep bonds underscores the drama in films like The Wizard of Oz (1939) and Air Bud (1997), in which dogs and lonely children rescue each other.
Cats, however, are not in the business of pleasing. They do not do rescues. Cats in films rarely do anything much except laze about, although they do this exceptionally well. Cats move like shadows and have beautiful, unfathomable eyes, so filmmakers use them to represent magical, complex or evil types. Pyewacket, the Siamese in Bell, Book and Candle (1958) or the petted white Persian in To Russia with Love (1963) signal that their owners are not to be trusted. When dishevelled detective Philip Marlowe goes to unorthodox lengths to please his cat in The Long Goodbye (1973), it reveals to us not that Marlowe is good or bad, but that he contains multitudes.
This video essay celebrates the glorious natural talents of dogs and cats who in their distinctive styles act on our feelings in tender and enriching ways.
Mon Oncle (1958), Gaumont
Hachi: A Dog’s Tale (2009), Sony Pictures Entertainment
Day for Night (1973), Warner-Columbia Film
Down on the Farm (1920), Mack Sennett
Where the North Begins (1923), Warner Brothers
Another Thin Man (1939), MGM
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961), Paramount Pictures
The Awful Truth (1937), Columbia Pictures
Bringing up Baby (1938), RKO Radio Pictures
The Diary of Anne Frank (1959), 20th Century Fox
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957), Universal Pictures
The Love Parade (1929), Paramount Famous Lasky Corp
The Wizard of Oz (1939), MGM
Air Bud (1998), Keystone Pictures, Buddy Films
Oddball (2015), Roadshow Films
Mad Max 2 (1981), Kennedy Miller Entertainment
Footlight Parade (1933), Warner Bros
Birds Anonymous (1957), Warner Bros
Cluny Brown (1946), Twentieth Century Fox
From Russia with Love (1963), United Artists
Bell, Book and Candle (1958), Pheonix Productions
Umberto D (1952), Rizzoli-De Sica-Amato
The Long Goodbye (1973), Lionsgate Films
Human infatuation with cats began around nine thousand years ago. Small wild felines were allowed into communities to ward off birds, rats and mice from stored provisions. In return, these natural-born hunters were provided shelter and relative safety – an exchange that marked the beginning of the treasured relationship between humans and cats.
The indelible mark that cats have left on our lives extends to art and culture. Artists and designers have long been inspired by the animal’s elegance and mystique, capturing their various shapes, roles and personalities in countless works of art.
How cats have been portrayed in art is inextricably linked to their place and status in society. Many artists have explored the symbolic potential of cats, from sacred images to morality tales, and as long ago as ancient Egypt, cats appeared as vehicles for satire.
While cats are convivial companions, they can also be fiercely independent, bursting with cattitude and capable of much mischief. In art and life, they have been worshipped, loved, adored, feared, demonised and everything in between. The artistic legacy of these wonderful animals illustrates the evolving relationship between humans and cats throughout the ages.
Matthew Sleeth
Australian born 1972
Untitled
from the Opfikon series 1997
1997, printed 2004
type C photograph
ed. 2/15
Presented through the NGV Foundation by Patrick Corrigan AM, Governor, 20052005.271.28
John Williams
Australian 1933–2016
Untitled
1974
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1975PH210-1975
Marguerite Mahood
Australian 1901–89
Feline design
1930s
colour linocut with hand-colouring
Gift of Andrée Fay Harkness through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20202020.498
Since the earliest recorded images of wild felines from the Neolithic era, many artists have captured the untamed natural instincts that are still perceptible in domestic cats. Although the cat in Maguerite Mahood’s Feline design is playing with a ball, its fixed stare and dominantly perched paw suggests a tiger protecting its lunch.
Elad Lassry
Israeli born 1977, works in United States 2003–
Russian blue
2012
type C photograph, painted frame
ed. 3/5
Yvonne Pettengell Bequest, 20142014.37
Elad Lassry’s portrait of a Russian blue references the practice of commercial photography for which subjects are captured in the artificial world of the studio for later use in marketing. When Lassry’s works are presented in a gallery setting they are ‘on display’ like the objects and exhibits presented in a museum vitrine or diorama.
Horace Brodzky
Australian 1885–1969, lived in United States 1904–08, 1915–23, England 1908– 15, 1923–69
Cat
c. 1912–19
linocut printed in tan ink
Bequest by Ella Dunkel, 1979P26-1979
With his minimalist and powerfully expressive approach, Horace Brodzky was a pioneer of the linocut. Cat is typical of his work, with blocks of a single strong colour defining the form and composition. Cats make for great models, and whether an image is finely detailed, made with a few strokes or just a silhouette, a talented artist can suggest what their feline is up to and thinking. Despite Brodzky’s economical approach, this cat’s stern attitude is easily discerned.
Elaine Haxton
Australian 1909–99, lived in England 1933–39, United States 1945–48
Lou Lou
1969
hand-coloured etching
artist’s proof
Gift of Andrée Fay Harkness through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20202020.497
Eileen Mayo
English 1906–94, lived in Australia 1953–62, New Zealand 1962–94
Cats in trees
before 1937
colour linocut
ed. 6/30
Felton Bequest, 1937436-4
Until the middle of the eighteenth century, cats were typically depicted on the periphery of artworks. Around this time, cats began to be appreciated more as pets and companions, and it became more common for cats to be the sole subject of paintings and sculpture. Eventually some artists specialised in painting cats, even receiving commisions for cat portraits, a practice that continues today. English artist and designer Eileen Mayo produced numerous studies of cats throughout her career. Her style was distinctly modernist yet grounded on acute observation. Note the distinctive, sharp claws of the cat on the left that dig into the tree: a remarkable detail for a linocut.
Japanese
CatNeko
19th century
stoneware (Bizen ware)
Felton Bequest, 19212305-D3
Christian Waller
Australian 1894–1954
Zinc lithographic plate for Thomas and the Persian
c. 1932
zinc lithographic plate
Presented by Klytie Pate under the Tax Incentives Scheme, 1990P175-1990
Chinese
Snuff bottle
19th century
glass, wood
Gift of Miss D. Gibb, 1964672.a-b-D5
Minton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire manufacturer
English est. 1793
John Moyr Smith designer
English 1839–1912
The ape, the cat and the roast chestnuts, plate
c. 1875
earthenware
The Dr Robert Wilson Collection. Gift of Dr Robert Wilson, 20122012.111
This work is inspired by an old fable about a monkey and cat who are household pets and friends. One day the monkey spies some chestnuts roasting on the fire and, having the more dominant personality, persuades the cat to retrieve them. The cat burns its paws in the process and the monkey eats all the chestnuts despite having promised to share. The fable is an anthropomorphic tale about tricking people into doing your dirty work.
Charles Blackman designer
Australian 1928–2018, lived in England 1961–66
Tapeçarias Portalegre Workshops workshop
Portuguese est. 1946
White cat’s garden
1970–71
wool
Gift of Mr Kenneth Myer, 1972D94-1972
Villeroy and Boch, Mettlach manufacturer
German est. 1836
Christine Warth designer
German active 1854–92
Tankard
c. 1888
stoneware, brass, pewter
Presented from the Estate of Barbara Chomley, 1984D34-1984
László Moholy-Nagy
Hungarian 1895–1946, worked in Germany 1920–34, England 1935–37
Katze
1938, printed 1973
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1975PH80-1975
Lionel Lindsay
Australian 1874–1961
The demon
1925
wood engraving
Felton Bequest, 1938522-4
Maya Deren director
Ukrainian/American 1917–61
Alexander Hammid director
Czech/American 1907–2004
The Private Life of a Cat
1947
digital file transferred from 16mm black and white, silent, 22 mins
Courtesy ACMI Collection
The Private Life of a Cat follows two cats before the birth of their litter in the New York apartment of avant-garde filmmakers Alexander Hammid and Maya Deren. It is shot in an objective, documentary style, featuring closely observed details, many filmed from ground level. These are intercut with images from the cats’ point of view to create a quietly intense portrait of feline domesticity. This film was made in 1947 and anticipates today’s videos of cats and kittens that are uploaded to the internet in their thousands.
Elaine Haxton
Australian 1909–1999, lived in England 1933–39, United States 1945–48
Cat
1940s
pen and brush and coloured inks
Purchased, 1945
1495-4
Richard Woldendorp
Dutch born 1927, arrived Australia 1950
No title (Cat in grass)
c. 1965
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1969
PH80-1969
Tsuguharu Foujita
Japanese 1886–1968
White cat
c. 1929
colour woodblock print
Purchased with funds donated by Cecilie Hall, 2024
The Japanese–French painter Léonard Tsuguharu Foujita is considered one of the greatest artist cat lovers of the twentieth century. In 1910 Foujita graduated from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. Three years later he took up residence in Montparnasse, Paris and became acquainted with avant garde artists Amadeo Modigliani, Chaim Soutine, Fernand Léger, Pablo Picasso and Henri
Matisse. Cats are the main subject or accompany human subjects in many of Foujita’s works. This work was produced at the height of Foujita’s Parisian notoriety in collaboration with Japanese woodblock print artisans.
New acquisition
Erica McGilchrist
Australian 1926–2014
Cat
1954
linocut
Gift of Kenneth Hood, 1991
P62-1991
Robert Ashton
Australian born 1950
Between day and night
1976
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1976
PH223-1976
Lionel Lindsay
Australian 1874–1961
The demon
1925
wood engraving
Felton Bequest, 1940
972B-4
Matthew Sleeth
Australian born 1972
Untitled
from the Opfikon series 1997
1997, 2004 printed
type C photograph
ed. 2/15
Presented through the NGV Foundation by Patrick Corrigan AM, Governor, 2005
2005.271.21
Eileen Mayo
English 1906–1994, lived in Australia 1953–62, New Zealand 1962–94
Spring morning
1952
colour lithograph
ed. 9/25
Purchased, 1956
3395-4
Until the middle of the eighteenth century, cats were typically depicted on the periphery of works of art. Around this time, cats began to be appreciated more as pets and companions and it became more common for cats to be the sole subject of paintings and sculpture. Eventually some artists specialised in painting cats, even receiving commisions for cat portraits, a practice that continues today. English artist and designer Eileen Mayo produced numerous studies of cats throughout her career. Her style was distinctly modernist yet grounded on acute observation. She has perfectly captured a moment that happens throughout any day.
While the popular saying ‘dogs have masters and cats have servants’ rings true for many people, initially cats were put to work in kitchens and around stores to keep rodents away from vital foodstuffs, marking the beginning of their domestication. Humans also welcomed other feline skills, such as bird-catching to protect crops. In Africa, where it is argued that cats first entered human society, they were even used to ward off dangerous snakes, a task they still perform. These roles gave many artists the opportunity to illustrate how the cat could be a useful member of society. Luckily for the cat, by the time more efficient methods of protection were found, they had already been welcomed into our homes as companions.
Unknown
European late 19th – early 20th century
Teapot and lid
earthenware
National Gallery of Victoria
Gerhard Marcks
German 1889–1981
Dignitaries Hohe Herrschaften
1921
woodcut
Gift of Mrs Olive Hirschfeld, 1971P58-1971
On the surface, this appears to be an image of two clever cats catching rats, one using its banded tail to block a nest. However, in the hands of the German Expressionist artist Gerhard Marcks, the work becomes a critique of a political regime that he felt fostered corruption during the unstable period of Germany’s Weimar Republic. Cats were a popular vehicle for political satarists: the perception of them being cunning and sneaky was easily transposed onto their chosen targets. The title Dignitaries flags the work as satire, as does the contented smirk of the handsome striped cat who is toying with his victim before devouring it.
Jean-François Millet
French 1814–75
A woman churning butter La baratteuse
1855
etching
3rd state
Felton Bequest, 19273651-3
Jean-François Millet celebrated the working and lower classes in his art by imbuing his subjects with great dignity and strength of character. This image shows a woman concentrating on the repetitive chore of churning butter, a mundane but necessary task. She is firmly focused on the task at hand, ignoring the persistent cat at her feet, who is hoping for spillage or a treat when the woman’s job is done. Of course, the attention of the cat should be on its own role, keeping mice from the bags of grain visible in the background.
Elza Josephson decorator
Australian 1893–1934
Rosenthal Porcelain manufacturer
German est. 1834
Vase
1914
porcelain
Purchased with funds donated by Merv Keehn and Sue Harlow, 20212021.65
William Hogarth
English 1697–1764
The fellow ‘prentices at their looms
plate 1 from the Industry and idleness series
1747
etching and engraving
2nd of 2 states
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Emeritus Professor P. W. Musgrave, Member, 1995
1995.358.1
Gerhard Marcks
German 1889–1981
The cats
Die Katzen
1920
woodcut
Gift of Mrs Olive Hirschfeld, 1971
P57-1971
Gerhard Marcks was one of the first masters at the Bauhaus school in Weimar, Germany, where he was appointed as artistic director of the ceramics workshop in 1919. While he was teaching in ceramics, Marcks also made sculptures and prints, including these two woodcuts of predatory cats in urban environments – a thinly veiled critique of political corruption and moral bankruptcy in the Weimar Republic. Marcks left the Bauhaus in 1924 and after holding senior teaching positions in Halle was banned from tertiary education by the National Socialists in 1933. His art was classed as ‘degenerate’ in 1937.
Ferdinand Sébastien Goulu
French born 1796
David Wilkie after
Scottish 1785–1841, worked in England 1809–25, throughout Europe and the Middle East 1825–41
The cut finger
Le doigt coupé
c. 1825
etching and engraving on chine collé
Felton Bequest, 1926 2700-3
In some cultures, cats have been worshipped as gods and in others they have been vilified as demons. They have simultaneously been thought to bring people good luck and bad. Artists have eloquently portrayed both ends of this spectrum. In Christian art, for example, cats were occasionally shown as welcome companions of the Christian Holy Family, while also epitomising the fall of humanity as in Albrecht Dürer’s depiction of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. As cats have a habit of unwittingly polarising societies, artists have recorded these extremes of reverence and scorn.
Federico Barocci
Italian c. 1535–1612
The Annunciation
c. 1585
etching, engraving, drypoint
2nd of 2 states
Felton Bequest, 1969P1-1969
While domestic cats are completely absent from the Christian Bible, the Italian Baroque artist Federico Barocci included a sleeping feline in the bottom left-hand corner of his Annunciation, the moment when the Archangel Gabriel informs the Virgin Mary that she will bear the Son of God. The cat here is a symbol of fertility. The fact that the cat is sleeping undisturbed adds a degree of tranquility and normality to this dramatic moment, impressing upon the faithful that this event truly occurred.
Albrecht Dürer
German 1471–1528
Adam and Eve
1504
engraving
5th of 5 states
Felton Bequest, 19563433B-4
Albrecht Dürer placed a cat front and centre in his engraving, which illustrates the Christian Old Testament narrative of the fall of humanity. The cat is portrayed as a malevolent creature, its tail wound around Eve’s leg. This echoes the form of the serpent/Devil at the crucial moment Eve accepts the fateful forbidden fruit, bringing corruption and original sin to the Garden of Eden. Until that moment, animals in Eden lived in harmony, even the dog, cat and mouse. Feigning sleep, Dürers cat is actually mouse-watching, an allusion to its supposed deceitful nature, as no doubt the cat will soon pounce on the mouse caught under Adam’s foot.
Matsumura Goshun
Japanese 1752–1811
Ōta Nanpo
Japanese 1749–1823
Cat’s weddingNeko no yomeiri
1781–1811
ink, pigment on paper
Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of Mr Baillieu Myer AC, Founder Benefactor, 1992AS24-1992
Since around the eleventh century in Japan, philosophical and playful paintings are often created by two artists when they met on special occasions or at casual get-togethers. Each artist would add their own details, making for a quickly executed work, such as this brush and ink work. It displays two cats in formal wedding attire and the female cat is making a toast with sake. In Japan, the animistic beliefs of the Shinto religion have resulted in folklore about animals that have the ability to transform into humans. On the tray is an auspicious presentation of dried bonito fish, and the bride’s kimono is decorated with mice – both a favourite of cats.
The inscription reads: ‘New bride, a three toned cat, three toasts from the wedding cup and one bundle of dried bonito fish, words for celebration’
Venkat Raman Singh Shyam
Indian born 1970
The world of the Gonds
2017
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Purchased NGV Foundation, 20192019.661
The enormous multicoloured cat here is Mārjāra, the vahana (vehicle) of the Hindu folk goddess Shashthi. Shashthi is venerated as the protector of children and is evoked during birth to protect mother and child. Mārjāra is worshipped on the sixth day of the month and on the sixth day of a child’s life, when it is believed Mārjāra visits the mother and newborn to bless them. She is also the deity of fertility, and is prayed to by people unable to conceive, as well as farmers wishing for fertile earth for their crops. The Gond people are one of India’s largest indigenous groups, living in the central state of Madhya Pradesh and its surrounding regions.
Utagawa Kuniyoshi
Japanese 1797–1861
Scene from a ghost story: The Okazaki cat demon Mukashibanashi no tawamure neko mata toshi o hete kojini kai o nasu zu
c. 1847
colour woodblock
Purchased, 1993AS12.a-c-1993
In this dramatic scene from the popular Edo period play Travelling the Fifty-three Stations Alone (Hitori Tabi Gojûsan Tsugi), travellers reach the town of Okazaki. Legend had it that a neko (cat demon) inhabited a temple on the outskirts of the town and, disguised as an old woman, would lure young women to their deaths. The ghostly old woman stands unassuming on the far right of the woodblock. That is, until you notice the wispy trail emerging and the neko appearing behind the travellers.
Jean Lurçat designer
French 1892–1966
Aubusson manufacturer
Adam before Creation
wool
Purchased, 19521121-D4
Jean Lurçat is regarded as the driving force behind the revival of tapestry weaving in France during the twentieth century. His tapestries celebrate life, the world and his belief in the preeminence of the Christian god through his favourite themes of the sun, the moon, the stars, animals and humanity. In Adam before Creation, Lurçat explores how all animals initially lived in harmony in the Garden of Eden. As the cat placidly stands with two roosters on its back, it shows that Lurçat is more interested in the idyllic world than the corrupted one in which the birds would have been in danger.
Alan Winderoo Tjakamarra
Kukatja c. 1918–2003
Native cat and water Dreaming at Yinpirrkawarnu
1988
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1988O.32-1988
Often likened to a small cat, the quoll is a carnivorous marsupial native to numerous regions in Australia. Until the 1970s, Anglocentric publications referred to quolls as the ‘native cat’, a paradoxical term that associates the marsupial with introduced pests and animals more familiar to Europeans. This language of settler-colonialism erases First Nations knowledges and cultural nuances – a destructive yet common story across the continent – and has been so pervasive that some First Nations artists, such as Alan Winderoo Tjakamarra, have adopted this Anglicised terminology for their narratives featuring a quoll. This painting is a water Dreaming from the artist’s father’s Country. It shows the route taken by the rain snake, bringer of the wet season, that runs into the paths of the tingarri (native cat) ancestors.
Paddy Japaljarri Sims
Warlpiri c. 1917–2010
Paddy Japaljarri Stewart
Warlpiri/Anmatyerr born c. 1940
Janganpakurlu manu jajirdikirli (Possum and native cat)
from the Yuendumu Doors 2000
2000
etching
ed. 32/75
Gift of Alison and Tony Kelly, 20012001.833.19
Through spiritual, cultural and ceremonial beliefs and practices sustained through oral histories and art, many First Nations communities maintain enduring relationships with animals such as the quoll (labeled native cats since colonisation). One example is Paddy Japaljarri Sims and Paddy Japaljarri Stewart’s Janganpakurlu manu jajirdikirli, which depicts the Warlpiri possum Dreaming: a saga centring on a possum and a quoll who fight, eventually becoming initiated men through the violent process. The western quoll has been extinct in Warlpiri Country since approximately the 1960s; however, works such as this one illustrate the endurance of First Peoples’ cultural stories.
Reggie Jackson
Ngaanyatjarra 1935–2007
Parrtjartanya (Story of the Native Cat and Possum Brothers)
2005
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Gift of Michael Moon, 20072007.447
This painting illustrates the Dreaming of two brothers, the elder being a quoll (mistakingly labeled native cats since colonisation) and the younger being a possum. They were scared to go hunting in the day, preferring to venture out at night. The Possum Boy was blind, but the Native Cat Man had good eyesight, allowing him to hunt well enough for them both. One night they misjudged the time and were still out at dawn. The Native Cat Man ran into a cave to hide and the Possum Boy duly followed him. They remain in the cave today.
Tadanori Yokoo designer
Japanese born 1936
Lucky cat Cats in Japan (Japan Lucky Cat Club)
1996
silk-screen print
Purchased with funds donated by Joel and Nala Ryan, 2024
Tadanori Yokoo is Japan’s most celebrated pop artist and poster designer of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. This poster celebrates and promotes the popular Japanese symbol of good fortune, maneki neko, which translates to ‘beckoning cat’. With a raised paw gesturing to viewers to enter his realm, this widely recognised feline has origins dating back to the Edo period (1600–1868). Maneki neko figurines can be found globally in shops, cafes, restaurants, homes and shrines to usher good fortune and protection. Three maneki neko and an assortment of other cats referencing famous historical prints can be seen on this poster. There are also elements of Shintoism, such as a torii shrine entrance gate and prayers of peace and good health written on the gate’s pillars.
New acquisition
Cats and witches have been so closely linked that the mere mention of one immediately evokes the other. Artists rarely show a witch without their familiar, a cat. Particularly in medieval Europe, the irrational persecution of women accused of witchcraft extended to these familiars, especially the black cat. Whether artists who treated witchcraft intended their work to be a critique of superstition or to fuel the anti-women (and anti-cat) hysteria, their art serves as reminders of a dark and frightening past. However, as this stigma has faded, their connection became a wellspring of new imagery steeped in magic, mystique and the arcane. For generations, tales of cats and witches have been handed down to children, igniting imaginations and serving as boundless sources for exploration and adventure.
Francisco Goya y Lucientes
Spanish 1746–1828, lived in France 1824–28
Where is mother going? Donde vá mamá?
plate 65 from Los Caprichos (The Caprices) series 1797–98, published 1799
1797–98
etching, aquatint and drypoint printed in sepia ink
1st edition
Felton Bequest, 1976P1.65-1976
The independent nature of cats, their mysterious nocturnal habits and close associations with pagan gods are among a host of reasons why they were linked with the forces of darkness and evil. Given that in patriarchal societies women carried out much of the domestic work, and as cats were often found in kitchens, they became synonymous with women. Cats were duly linked with witches and witchcraft, and most artists, including the Spanish master Francisco Goya, usually included cats in their images of witches. Witchcraft was perceived as rife in Spain, an irrational fear and superstition that Goya critiques in his series Los Caprichos.
Francisco Goya y Lucientes
Spanish 1746–1828, lived in France 1824–28
TrialsEnsayos
plate 60 from Los Caprichos (The Caprices) series 1797–98, published 1799
1797–98
etching, aquatint and burin printed in sepia ink
1st edition
Felton Bequest, 1976P1.60-1976
In Francisco Goya’s print Trials, a gigantic demonic billy goat presides over a scene in which two witches are levitating in their first attempt to fly. This is part of their training, which also included lessons in casting spells, evident in the instruments on the ground, and flying, with the broomstick also at the ready. The two cats play crucial roles here as one closely observes the novice witches and the second looks directly at the viewer, reinforcing their role as witnesses to what should be a fanciful spectacle.
Isaac Robert Cruikshank
English 1789–1856
George Cruikshank
English 1792–1878
Tom and Jerry catching Kate and Sue, on the sly, having their fortunes told
plate 17 from Life in London by Pierce Egan, published by Sherwood, Neely & Jones, London, 1821
1820
hand-coloured etching, aquatint
Purchased, 19563345I-4
Andries Jacobsz. Stock engraver (attributed to)
Dutch c. 1580–c. 1648
Jacques de Gheyn II after
Dutch 1565–1629
Preparations for a witches’ Sabbath
c. 1610
engraving
Felton Bequest, 19251658-3
Lionel Lindsay
Australian 1874–1961
The witch
from the Twenty-One Woodcuts series 1924
1924
wood engraving
Felton Bequest, 1938524-4
In Europe during the Middle Ages, black cats were so closely linked with witches and evil that they were killed nearly to the point of extinction. Today, it is very rare to find a black cat without at least a small patch of white fur, which in some cultures was considered lucky, as the almost black cat was seen to be blessed by an ‘angel’s touch’. Lionel Lindsay was a prolific printmaker whose subjects included studies of nature, birds and animals, including images of cat and kittens. A rare pure black cat appears in at least four of his prints.
Lionel Lindsay
Australian 1874–1961
The black cat
1922
wood engraving
ed. 48/100
Felton Bequest, 19273605-3
Lionel Lindsay was a member of the highly creative Lindsay family, all of whom were artists. Lindsay was best known for his wood engravings and in this work he achieved a particularly rich yet subtle rendering of the light and shade across the cat’s fur. He has also brilliantly captured this cat’s fiery eyes, which in black cats were supposedly a sign of the devil.
Francisco Goya y Lucientes
Spanish 1746–1828, lived in France 1824–28
There it goes
Allá vá eso
plate 66 from Los Caprichos (The Caprices) series (1797–98), published 1799
1797–1798
etching, aquatint and drypoint printed in sepia ink
1st edition
Felton Bequest, 1976
P1.66-1976
The independent nature of cats, their mysterious nocturnal habits and close associations with pagan gods are among a host of reasons why they were linked with the forces of darkness and evil. Given that in patriarchal societies women carried out much of the domestic work and as cats were often found in kitchens, they became synonymous with women. Cats were duly linked with witches and witchcraft and most artists, including the Spanish master Francisco Goya, usually included cats in their images of witches. Witchcraft was perceived as rife in Spain, an irrational fear and superstition that Goya critiques in his series Los Caprichos.
Jan Saenredam
Dutch 1565–1607
Hendrick Goltzius after
Dutch 1558–1616
Night
plate 4 from the Four times of day series
c. 1595
engraving
1st of 4 states
Felton Bequest, 1923
1278.1253-3
Isaac Robert Cruikshank
English 1789–1856
George Cruikshank
English 1792–1878
Tom and Jerry catching Kate and Sue, on the sly, having their fortunes told
plate 17 from Life in London by Pierce Egan, published by Sherwood, Neely & Jones, London, 1821
1820
hand-coloured etching and aquatint
Purchased, 1966
1693A-5
Steven Worrell
Australian born 1976
Untitled (Black cat)
c. 2004
charcoal
Gift of Stuart Purves, Australian Galleries through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2018
2018.1039
Revered in ancient times as symbols of fertility and feminine power, cats have been used as motifs of desire, intimacy and female sexuality. In some works, the cat is a favoured creature not just given entry to the private, intimate world of the female subject, but also allowed to rub against her skin and crawl into her lap. Often – as in the work of Ishikawa Toraji – the cat is positioned to mirror the female subject, reflecting the woman’s elegance and sensuality. However, some artists drew on a long and gendered history of associations between cats and the female body, creating images entwined with patriarchal and fetishistic narratives.
Ishikawa Toraji
Japanese 1875–1964
Leisure time Tsurezure
from the Ten Types of Female Nudes (Rajo Jusshu) series 1934
1934
colour woodblock
Purchased, NGV Asian Art Acquisition Fund, 20142014.24.9
Leisure time is from a series by Ishikawa Toraji that depicts Japanese women in fashionable modern interiors.The women are nude in each scene, giving the prints a voyeuristic and erotic sensibility. This woman thumbs through a volume of nineteenth-century Japanese woodblock prints that Toraji uses as a point of contrast to the contemporary woman. Here a sleeping calico cat adds to the tranquility of the scene, emphasising the solitary act of reading.
Balthus
French 1908–2001, worked in Italy 1961–77
Nude with cat
Nu au chat
1949
oil on canvas
Felton Bequest, 19522949-4
Jan Steen
Dutch 1626–79
Interior
c. 1661–65
oil on wood panel
Felton Bequest, 19221248-3
Cats have often featured symbolically in morality tales, including the tragicomic Interior by the Dutch artist Jan Steen. In this work, the promiscuous reputation of the cat reflects the infidelity of the revellers in a bawdy tavern scene. Steen’s cat innocently looks up at a mother and child, as the mother engages with a lecherous suitor. Another man, probably her husband, sits drunk and forlorn on her right.
Mark Schaller
German/Australian born 1962
Four women
1985
oil, linoleum and staples on plywood
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Mr Rupert Myer, Member, 19961995.817.a-c
George Grosz
German 1893–1959
Taverne du Midi
1915
transfer lithograph
edition of 15
Purchased, 1984P85-1984
William Hogarth
English 1697–1764
The idle ‘prentice return’d from sea, and in a garret with a common prostitute
plate 7 from the Industry and Idleness series, published 1747
1747
etching, engraving
2nd of 2 states
Felton Bequest, 19231278.458-3
Ishikawa Toraji
Japanese 1875–1964
Black cat
Kuroi Neko
from the Ten types of female nudes (Rajo Jusshu 裸女十種) series (1934)
1934
colour woodblock
Purchased, NGV Asian Art Acquisition Fund, 2014
2014.24.7
Black cat is from a series by Ishikawa Toraji that depicts Japanese women in fashionable modern interiors.The women are nude in each scene, giving the prints a voyeuristic and erotic sensibility. Toraji emphasises the engaging tactile nature of cats as this black and white cat is welcome to rub against the woman’s skin.
Aside from lending their name to fashion runways around the world, images of cats have found their way onto socks, pyjamas, T-shirts and high-fashion items alike. Creative designers, such as Australian fashion label Romance Was Born, are drawn to the beauty and elegance of the cat, choosing them to inspire and adorn their collections. It appears though that even in the world of fashion, dogs and cats occupy opposite ends of the spectrum. While the image of socialites parading with their miniature dogs is common, cats do not readily lend themselves as living accessories.
Poster Dresses, London manufacturer
English c. 1967–69
Harry Gordon designer
American 1930–2007, worked in England and Spain 1959–73, Spain 1973–2007
The cat, poster dress
1968
screen-printed rayon and nylon, plastic, paper, metal (staples)
Purchased, NGV Supporters of Fashion and Textiles, 20182018.1051.a-d
Harry Gordon’s fashionable A-line dresses were printed with blown-up commercial photographs, including an image of actress Audrey Hepburn’s eye, a white rose, a launching rocket and a hand superimposed with a poem by American poet Allen Ginsberg. With a pop sensibility, Gordon’s dresses cost around four US dollars at the time and were intended to be wearable but disposable. Gordon encouraged their repurposing as wall art, or even pillowcases and bedspreads. He thought that the dress with the big-eyed tabby cat would be the most popular of the series.
Romance Was Born, Sydney fashion house
Australian est. 2005
Anna Plunkett designer
Australian born 1982
Luke Sales designer
Australian born 1981
Shoes of Prey, Australia manufacturer
Australian est. 2010
Cheshire Cat jumpsuit
from the Mushroom Magic collection, spring–summer 2013
2013
plastic, silk, metal, nylon, polystyrene
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20152015.166.a-f
David Potts
Australian 1926–2012, lived in England 1950–55
Cat show, London
1953
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased through the KODAK (Australasia) Pty Ltd Fund, 1975PH218-1975
David Potts
Australian 1926–2012, lived in England 1950–55
Cat show, Cruft’s, London
1954
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased through the KODAK (Australasia) Pty Ltd Fund, 1975PH219-1975
Thea Proctor
Australian 1879–1966, lived in England 1903–12, 1914–21
1875
c. 1932
woodcut
Purchased, 19661713-5
Alexander McQueen, London fashion house
English est. 1992
Alexander McQueen designer
English 1969–2010
Look 11, dress
2002 Eshu collection, autumn–winter 2000–01
screenprinted leather, mother-of-pearl (buttons)
Purchased with funds donated by Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Family, 2022
2022.895
Alexander McQueen adapted an iconic 1932 photograph Io-et gatto (I and cat) by the Italian Futurist photographer Wanda Wulz where she printed two negatives together, a self-portrait and a close-up of a cat’s face. Admiring the experimental and mysterious nature of the image, McQueen screenprinted the image on the back of this white leather dress which he gave further dimension and kinetic qualities through laser-cut vertical slashes.
Athol Shmith
Australian 1914–1990
No title (Fashion illustration. Gown of the year)
1958
gelatin silver photograph
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by the Shmith Family, Governor, 1996
1996.230
Romance Was Born, Sydney fashion house
Australian est. 2005
Anna Plunkett designer
Australian born 1982
Luke Sales designer
Australian born 1981
Shoes of Prey, Australia manufacturer
Australian est. 2010
Cheshire cat dress
2013 spring–summer, Mushroom Magic collection
plastic, silk, metal, nylon, polystyrene
Private collection, Melbourne
Cats have constantly featured in popular literature, especially in illustrated books. On a larger stage, cats have had starring roles in films and television and have appeared in advertising and the world of fashion. Artists and writers cast them as heroes and villains, often investing them with human qualities, such as talking, walking on two legs, wearing clothes, as well as being able to read and write. Today, cats are internet sensations, with social media platforms teeming with millions of images and clips, mostly amusing videos of the consequences of the feline’s natural curiosity.
Utagawa Yoshiiku
Japanese 1833–1904
The story of Otomi and Yosaburo
1860
colour woodblock print
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2024
During the nineteenth century, cats began to feature in popular ukiyo-e prints (a genre of paintings and prints depicting the pastimes of the merchant class during the Edo period), a trend that stemmed from the popularity of cats as pets in the sprawling metropolises of the time. During this period, the Japanese government prohibited depictions of actors and courtesans, as they were considered detrimental to public morals. To circumvent this censorship, artists began producing works where the faces of beautifully attired kabuki actors were replaced by cat faces. However, the actor’s characteristics were maintained, enabling audiences to identify their favourite personalities.
New acquisition
Philippe Halsman
Latvian/American 1906–79
Salvador Dalí, atomicus
1948
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased NGV Foundation, 2024
In 1948, photographer Philippe Halsman saw Salvador Dalí’s painting Leda atomica. When Halsman asked Dalí about its significance, he answered that it represented atoms and electrons in suspension. Halsman then proposed that he photograph Dalí in a similar state of frozen levitation. Dalí’s chair and easel are suspended by wires. For each of the twenty-six takes required to capture the final image, assistants threw a bucket of water and three cats across the frame while Dalí leaped in the air. Following the shoot, Halsman assured people that the cats were well cared for. Between shots, he towel-dried them and fed them Portuguese sardines!
New acquisition
Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen
Swiss 1859–1923, worked in France 1881–1923
Poster for the Company of the Black Cat Prochainement la très illustre Compagnie du Chat Noir
1896
colour lithograph
Purchased NGV Foundation, 20222022.857
This is one of the most recognisable and repurposed images of a cat in art. It was initially the emblem for the Black Cat Cabaret, a popular late-nineteenth-century Parisian club owned and run by Rodolphe Salis. He cleverly brought art, design, performance, food and alcohol together under the one roof. Salis was openly identifying his exotic nightclub with the reputation of black cats as sexually charged and dangerously mysterious nocturnal prowlers. Théophile-Alexandre Steinlen was a well known commercial illustrator and cat lover who constantly drew his families’ cats, and they appear throughout his work in both realistic and stylised forms, such as this all-knowing black cat with piercing orange eyes.
Graeme Base
English born 1958, arrived Australia 1964
The other guests enjoyed a lively game of Blind Man’s Bluff
illustration for The Eleventh Hour by Graeme Base, published by Viking Kestrel/Penguin Books Australia, Melbourne, 1988, p. 18
1988
watercolour, gouache, coloured pencil, pencil, pen and ink
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.562
Written and illustrated by Graeme Base, the mystery picture book The Eleventh Hour revolves around Horace the Elephant’s eleventh birthday party, to which he invites his ten best animal friends. Before the guests can enjoy the wonderful feast, they must play eleven party games. By eleven o’clock, the time of the feast, a shocking discovery is made: someone has eaten all the food! It is up to the reader to identify the thief by deciphering the messages and codes on each page. The question is, Did the grey cat do it?
Peter Pavey
Australian born 1948
Dragon going to bed
illustration for One Dragon’s Dream by Peter Pavey, published by Thomas Nelson Australia, Melbourne, 1978, p. 2
1978
pen and ink, watercolour
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.622
This highly detailed drawing is for the first illustration of One Dragon’s Dream by Peter Pavey, in which a dragon and his cat friend prepare to go to bed. While asleep, the dragon dreams of a fantasy world in which turkeys, tigers, frogs, kangaroos, cats and numerous other animals appear. Presented as a counting book, One Dragon’s Dream contains many visual puns and puzzles within a detailed visual narrative that provides a challenge to readers. As it is the dragon’s dream, the grey cat only appears when the dragon is awake and when it falls asleep.
Louis Wain
English 1860–1939
We won’t go home till morning
1900–10
pen and ink over pencil
Purchased, 1935337A-4
The career and life of the celebrated nineteenth-century English illustrator Louis Wain revolved around his drawings of cats, particularly his anthropomorphic satires of human behaviour, such as We won’t go home till morning. This dancing cat is happily embarking on a night out on the town, which will probably not end well. The work of many creative artists and illustrators is based on observation and a grain of truth. Wain seamlessly transposed the hundreds of life drawings he made of his cats into anthropomorphic gems, and, later in his life, dazzling fantastical images. The popularity of Wain’s work saw him elected as the second president of the National Cat Club in England, and he was a regular judge at cat shows.
Pat Sullivan designer
Australian 1885–1933, worked in America 1910–33
Felix the Cat toy
painted papier-mâché
Courtesy ACMI Collection
Felix the Cat was a popular cartoon character created in 1919 by Australian animator Pat Sullivan. Appreciated by kids and critics alike, Felix’s first wave of success was during the silent-film era and was praised for its surrealist visuals. Sullivan’s studio earned significant income through the sale of Felix comics, toys and collectibles. This particular figure dates from the early 1920s, not long after Sullivan created Felix. It is an early example of film studios capitalising on the popularity of characters beyond the cinematic experience.
Otto Messmer director/animator
American 1892–1983
Pat Sullivan creator/producer
Australian 1885–1933, worked in United States 1910–33
Felix in the Swim
1922
digital file transferred from 16mm black and white, silent, 4 mins 12 seconds
Courtesy ACMI Collection
Leigh Hobbs
Australian born 1953
Poster design for Old Tom
1994
synthethic polymer paint, brush and ink and fibre-tipped pen
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 2014
2014.585
Peter Pavey
Australian born 1948
Dragon in bed
illustration for One Dragon’s Dream by Peter Pavey, published by Thomas Nelson Australia, Melbourne, 1978, pp. [24-25]
1978
pen and ink and watercolour
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 2014
2014.623
Joseph Swain
English 1820–1909
Edward Linley Sambourne after
English 1844–1910
Puss in Boots
late 1880s
wood-engraving on chine collé
Felton Bequest, 1906
771.2-2
It is not known who first wrote the fairy tale Puss in boots, but it is known in literature since at least the sixteenth century. That the story has endured well into the twenty-first century is indicative of the popularity of cats being invested with human qualities. These anthropomorphic tales give great freedom for the author, and illustrator to creatively use their imagination.
Cats have the capacity to behave badly. They fight, caterwaul at night, and scratch people and especially furniture. They also trespass into places they should not go. After the deed, they usually act innocently as if nothing happened. Artists have taken advantage of this behavioural trait to inject humour rather than malice into their work, making light of virtual disasters. French and English satirists in particular have transposed poor cat behaviour onto the human targets of their pen and wit. It seems that cats lend themselves to a limitless range of themes to be realised in art.
Greatest Hits, Melbourne
Australian est. 2008
Gavin Bell
Australian born 1985
Jarrah de Kuijer
Australian born 1985
Simon McGlinn
Australian born 1985
Untitled
2012
taxidermied cat, electronic components
Yvonne Pettengell Bequest, 20142014.138
What is this naughty cat doing here? It has cheekily wandered into the realm of the dogs. To compound this intrusion, it is also mimicking the welcoming cat, maneki-neko, that has its origins in seventeenth-century Japan. This beckoning cat with its waving right paw is thought to bring good luck and is now a worldwide phenomenon.
Richard Bosman
American born 1944, worked in United States 1971–
Revenge of the cat
1983
sugarlift etching with white ground
ed. 12/40
Purchased, 1984P4-1984
Charles Williams
English active 1797–1830
Dissentions in the cabinet or Affairs in a perilous situation
1801
hand-coloured etching
Felton Bequest, 19441289-4
Unsubtle prints satirising politicians have a rich and long tradition in England, which continues today through cartoons. In 1801, when this print was made, hot topics before parliament included the recent union with Ireland that created the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, as well as the ongoing conflict with France. These would have been among many issues that would have caused noisy cat-like squabbling in parliament and the ruling cabinet, likened by this artist to the scene of a catfight that has erupted in the toilet, scratching the backside of a hag-like figure.
Norman Carter
Australian 1875–1963
Ure Smith’s garden
1939
oil on canvas
Purchased, 19492111-4
Maria Margaretha La Fargue
Dutch 1743–1813
The shrimp seller
1776
oil on wood panel
Purchased with funds donated by The Andrew & Geraldine Buxton Foundation, 20172017.454
Maria Margaretha La Fargue’s work belongs to a category of patriotic eighteenth-century Dutch art that celebrates modern society in Holland. The artist specialised in such genre scenes that evoked the prosperity and ease of life in her home town, The Hague. Here, a cheerful vendor offers freshly cooked shrimp to the female occupants of an affluent upper-middle class household. This seafood, a traditional symbol of wealth and gluttony in Dutch morality still lifes, is ignored by a clearly overindulged domestic cat who prefers to play idly with an insect on the marble floor.
Eugène Gaujean
French 1850–1900
Philippe Rousseau after
French 1816–87
The two friends Les deux amis
1882
etching
Felton Bequest, 1939917.6-4
Honoré Daumier
French 1808–79
Charitable newspapers Les journaux bienfaisans
1842
hand-coloured lithograph and gum arabic on buff paper
3rd of 3 states
Felton Bequest, 19441347-4
Saul Bass director
American 1920–96
Walk on the Wild Side title sequence
1962
digital file transferred from 35mm black and white, sound, 2 minutes 20 seconds
© 1962, renewed 1990 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
In this title sequence by legendary graphic artist Saul Bass, a black cat on the prowl fights off an intruder, symbolising life in the backstreets of depression-era New Orleans. The syncopated swagger of Elmer Bernstein’s music coupled with the cat’s grace creates an atmosphere of sensuality and danger.
Jean-Étienne Liotard etcher
Swiss 1702–1789, lived throughout Europe 1723–89, Turkey 1738–42
Antoine Watteau after
French 1684–1721
The sick cat
Le Chat malade
1731
etching
Purchased, 1925 1519-3
William Finden engraver
English 1787–1852
John Masey Wright draughtsman
English 1777–1866
Lucy and her bird
illustration for the poem Lucy And Her Bird by Robert Southey, published in The Keepsake for 1829
1829
etching and engraving on chine collé
proof
Felton Bequest, 1926 2608-3
George Cruikshank
English 1792–1878
The sentimental novel reader
illustration for The Greatest Plague of Life by the Brothers Mayhew (eds.), published by David Bogue, London, 1847
1847
etching
Gift of Miss Archibald, 1930 4294.20-3
Cathy Staughton
Australian born 1968
Fighting bawling bad cats
2006
synthetic polymer paint, charcoal and pencil on paper
Gift of Stuart Purves, Australian Galleries through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2018
2018.1024
Cats sleep up to eighteen hours a day. Being very active for the other six hours, mainly eating, grooming and playing, cats are purrfect models – while asleep. Sleeping cats have been a common motif for artists across many cultures. While there are countless intimate sketches of beloved cats just dozing, the tranquillity of the sleeping cat has also come to symbolise calm, peace and serenity.
Stephen Gooden
English 1892–1955
Old Whisk
1940
etching
3rd of 3 states
Gift of Judith and Graham Ryles OAM in memory of Dr Ursula Hoff AO OBE through the Australian Goverment’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20102010.244
Stephen Gooden’s Old Whisk is a small yet highly detailed engraving of a sleeping cat in a barn that few cat lovers would not relate to. Many images of cats with people capture the bond of affection, but when the solitary cat is portrayed, it is often seen sleeping undisturbed. While many images of dogs are life-size or larger, cat pictures tend to be small, intimate yet no less appealing. Their size draws the viewer in for close inspection.
Huang Yongyu
Chinese 1924–2023
Cat
1989
ink and gouache on paper
Gift of Jason Yeap OAM and Wong Min Lee through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20102010.126
Chinese artist Huang Yongyu’s 1989 Cat depicts a sleeping cat, which would usually suggest a sense of peace. However, the inscription on the work states ‘Warmth, sadness and happiness all at the same time’. The artist is referring to a time during the Cultural Revolution in China when political unease placed many people at risk. An intensely personal painting, the work is also inscribed with the words ‘Whenever we heard the slightest noise, we were filled with fear and immediately jumped to a high place at the roof top of the house. Together with our family and our animals, we suffered anxiety and fear.’ The cat here plays both a literal and symbolic role, ironically reflecting the anxious state of mind of the artist.
Nora Heysen
Australian 1911–2003
Cats
1960s
pen, brown ink
Gift of Andrée Fay Harkness through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20202020.480
When artists such as Nora Heysen draw their own cats, or ones close to them, the works tend to be more intimate and distinctly personal. It seems easy to spot drawings of an artist’s own cat as the often rapid strokes and their sketchy characteristics still carry the artist’s style. Often quickly made and lacking refinement, they nonetheless encourage scrutiny and admiration from the viewer.
Japanese
Cat hand warmer Neko teaburi
1868–1926
stoneware (Owari ware)
Felton Bequest, 19272790.a-b-D3
Doris Boyd
Australian 1889–1960
Sleeping cat
1933
earthenware
Gift of John Alexander Lyne through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20122012.253
Kawanabe Kyōsai
Japanese 1831–89
Kyōsai’s treatise on painting volume 3 Kyōsai gadan, naihen gaihen sanpen
1887
artist’s books: colour woodblock, four volumes, stitched binding, paper on silk cover, ivory, 4 volumes
Purchased with funds donated by the Hon Michael Watt QC and Cecilie Hall, 20122012.214.3
Kawanabe Kyōsai displayed a great interest in the traditions of Japanese and European art, producing paintings and prints that range from the comic, satiric and fantastic to the scientific and educational. He produced the Kyōsai gadan (Treatise on painting), a multi-volume painting manual and analysis of historical painting styles. His six images of cats on the left, four asleep and two awake, bridge the instructional and visually appealing. The large cat on the right is after a work by Mao Yi, a famous twelfth-century Chinese painter known for his paintings of cats and dogs.
Lionel Lindsay
Australian 1874–1961
Siesta
1925
wood engraving, woodcut
Felton Bequest, 1940978-4
Richard Parkes
Bonington after
English 1802–28, worked in France 1817–27
The use of tears
19th century
engraving
Felton Bequest, 19262537-3
Thea Proctor
Australian 1879–1966, lived in England 1903–12, 1914–21
Calico the cat
1963–1966
charcoal and red chalk
Gift of Alison Inglis AM, 2024
Thea Proctor has taken advantage of her sleeping cat to draw this charming study. Probably the only time cats sit still long enough to be drawn in any detail is when they are asleep, a moment countless artists have used to their advantage. No doubt this cat belonged to Proctor as she named it Calico and there are numerous sketches by her of this beautiful cat. There is another drawing of Calico on the back of this sheet, which was probably removed from a sketchbook.
New acquisition
A house without a cat is not a home. While the origins of this saying are lost to time, it was probably uttered by the first person to offer a cat a bed by a fireplace or a warm lap to sit on. In return, cats have willingly provided companionship and emotional support for their humans, as evidenced by the countless images over time of people with their cats. Artists have also been willing participants in the cat-human relationship, capturing the joyous and tender sides of this friendship. Cats have historically been a great source of inspiration to artists. The Italian renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci observed of his furry friends, ‘every cat is a masterpiece’.
Sam Mapplebeck director
New Zealander born 1987
Purr, Featuring Greg
2024
digital file
Courtesy ACMI Collection
One subgenre of the many animal videos on the internet is ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response), in which closely miked sounds trigger relaxing and pleasurable responses. Cats generally purr when feeling content, so for this cat named Greg and the viewer who is invited to interact with him it is a win-win situation.
Hulda Guzmán
Dominican born 1984
Daily ceremony
2022
synthetic polymer paint, gouache on cedar (Cedrus sp.), mahogany plywood (Swietenia sp.)
Purchased with funds donated by an anonymous donor and NGV Foundation, 20232023.249
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec
French 1864–1901
May Belfort
1895
colour lithograph
Felton Bequest, 19481847-4
The nineteenth-century cabaret singer and actress May Belfort often performed on the stages of Paris, where she famously took her bows while holding her beloved black cat. In Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s 1895 portrait of the singer, he conveys just how unimpressed the feline seems to be when taken out of its comfort zone. Belfort has the cat in a stranglehold and no doubt its curling tail would have been flicking furiously.
Gregory Rogers
Australian 1957–2013
Heeey, wild cat! Wildcat!
illustration for Way Home by Libby Hathorn, published by Mark McLeod Books and Random House Australia, Sydney, 1994, pp. 3–4
1994
charcoal, coloured pastels, collage of torn paper
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.629
William Strang
Scottish 1859–1921
Montaigne and his cat
illustration for The Compleat Angler by Izaak Walton, vol. 1, published by Freemantle & Co., London, 1902
1902
etching, plate-tone
2nd of 2 states
Felton Bequest, 19262274-3
Perhaps the cat’s intelligence, individuality and independence were not fully appreciated or understood until the enlightened sixteenth-century French philosopher and cat lover Michel de Montaigne observed, ‘When I am playing with my cat, how do I know she is not playing with me?’ This book illustration could show the moment this thought dawned on Montaigne as he and his cat seem to be in a stare-off. It does beg the question, Who is in control of this situation?
Vivienne Shark LeWitt
Australian born 1956
Untitled #2 (Woman on a cart with two cats)
from the Aus Australien portfolio 1987–89
1988
soft-ground etching
ed. 3/40
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1989P34.27-1989
Joseph Highmore
English 1692–1780
Susanna Highmore
c. 1740–45
oil on canvas
Felton Bequest, 19471761-4
Since the eighteenth century, a more favourable appreciation of the cat replaced its often maligned reputation rooted in superstition and fear. Joseph Highmore found the playful qualities of cats very appealing and included two cats in this portrait of his young daughter Susanna. An animal-lover, Susanna is accompanied by her two very well-behaved cats who are seemingly ignoring the parrot perched above them on an open swinging ring.
Eileen Mayo
English 1906–94, worked in Australia 1953–62, New Zealand 1962–94
Girl with cat
1940s – mid 1950s
colour linocut
ed. 13/25
Purchased, 19563397-4
David Beal
Australian born 1936
Old woman and cat, Sydney
1963
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased through the KODAK (Australasia) Pty Ltd Fund, 1969PH71-1969
David Beal’s photograph of a Sydney back alley captures the sheer joy that the companionship of cats can bring. This gritty late 1960s social realist study is simultaneously poignant, joyful and wonderfully ironic. These are the very qualities that many amateur photographers strive to achieve in the now millions of pictures and videos of cats that saturate the internet.
Henry Talbot
German 1920–99, arrived Australia 1940
Woolloomooloo
1956
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1991PH157-1991
In the 1950s, many Australian photographers – even commercially successful ones like Henry Talbot – felt disillusioned by the cliched subjects and picturesque images popular across photography salons and exhibitions. In response, some photographers began to work in a more direct, social documentary style. While visiting Sydney in 1956, Talbot took a walk through the then working-class suburb of Woolloomooloo in search of subjects to express the reality of people’s lives. This portrait of a young woman gently cradling her cat shows a moment of tender introspection. The quiet moment is seemingly at odds with the harshness of the subject’s impoverished surrounds and is an example of the humanist interests inspiring younger photographers at the time.
Jacques Callot
French 1592–1635, worked in Italy c. 1611–21
Beggarwoman with cats La vieille aux chats
from The Beggars (Les Gueux) series c. 1622–23
c. 1622
etching
1st of 2 states
Purchased, 19461532-4
Grace Cossington Smith
Australian 1892–1984
Quaker girl
1915
oil on canvas
Presented by the National Gallery Society of Victoria, 19671763-5
Throughout the 1910s and 1920s, Grace Cossington Smith was in the vanguard of Australia’s modern art movement. Early intimate paintings such as Quaker girl were based on the artist’s familiar surroundings and regularly depicted her sister, Madge, engaged in domestic or leisurely activities. Intimism is a common approach taken by artists who portray cats with their people or on their own. With such works, we, the audience, are unnoticed voyeurs of scenes in which the subjects are acting naturally and uninhibited.
Huang Yongyu
Chinese 1924–2023
Announcing the arrival of spring
1980
ink and pigments on paper
Gift of Jason Yeap OAM in honour of Dr Mae Anna Pang Senior Curator of Asian Art National Gallery of Victoria through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20172017.159
Huang Yongyu was imprisoned and persecuted during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) for his artistic endeavours. This work of an old Buddhist monk cuddling a young baby cat recollects the artist’s experiences during this difficult time. In the upper right corner of the painting is a poetic inscription that begins:
A Picture Announcing the Arrival of Spring.Spring calls the cat and the cat cries, spring listensThe louder it cries the more alert it becomesThe old monk has a cat but does not dare to utter a cry in front of others.
A poem by a certain old monk of the Song dynasty (970–1279), the year 1980, Huang Yongyu.
Gwen Wilson
Australian 1916–79
Cat on fence
1977, printed 1979
gelatin silver photograph
Bequest of Laurie Wilson, 1981PH324-1981
Yoshitoshi Tsukioka
Japanese 1839–92
Woman and catBijin to neko
from Art World, vol: 7 (Bijutsu Sekai, nanama), compiled by Watanabe Seitei, printed by Shun’-yōdō, Tokyo
c.1891
colour woodblock, silk thread
Shaw Research Library, National Gallery of Victoria
Kanpo Araki
Japanese 1831–1915
WisteriaFuji no hana
from Art World, vol: 7 (Bijutsu Sekai, nanama), compiled by Watanabe Seitei, printed by Shun’-yōdō, Tokyo
c.1891
colour woodblock, silk thread
Shaw Research Library, National Gallery of Victoria
Published in twenty-five periodicalvolumes between 1890 and 1894,Art World (Bijutsu Sekai) was eagerly collected by art lovers of Japan’s early modern era. Leading artists were selected by the art-world luminary and prominent artist Watanabe Seitei to contribute drawings of their favourite subjects.These drawings were then transformedinto exquisite woodblock prints that employed historical hand-printing techniques and materials, including embossing, metallic shell powders and subtle graduations of colours. This page features the work of Yoshitoshi Tsukioka, one of the leading artists of time, famedfor his depictions of women in loving moments with their favourite felines.
Madeleine Winch
Australian born 1950
‘My name is Edward Wilkins’ I said
illustration for Edward Wilkins and His Friend Gwendoline by Barbara Bolton, published by Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1985, pp. 9–10
1984
watercolour, coloured pencil
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.650
Athol Shmith
Australian 1914–1990
Peter Turner
c. 1977
gelatin silver photograph
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by the Shmith Family, Governor, 1996
1996.286
Gregory Rogers
Australian 1957–2013
Girl with sword and white cat
cover illustration for Sabriel by Garth Nix, published by HarperCollins, Sydney, 1995
1995
watercolour and coloured pencil
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 2014
2014.630
Eileen Mayo
English 1906–1994, lived in Australia 1953–62, New Zealand 1962–94
Woman and siamese cat
1952
colour lithograph
ed. 20/20
Purchased, 1956
3394-4
Pierre Bonnard
French 1867–1947
Woman stroking a cat
c. 1920
pencil, laid down
Purchased with funds donated by the National Gallery Women’s Association, 1984
P82-1984
Seitei Watanabe
Japanese 1851–1918
No. 1 from Art world
1890
colour woodblock print, silk thread binding
Shaw Research Library, National Gallery of Victoria
Utagawa Kunisada
Japanese 1786–1865
Woman playing with cat
from the Fabrics to order in current taste (Atsurae ori jisei konomi) series
1843–1847
colour woodblock print
Purchased with funds donated by Cecilie Hall, 2024
Joyce Walsh
Australian active 1990s
Ann James after
Australian born 1952
A pet for Mrs Arbuckle
Artwork based on cover illustration by Ann James for A Pet for Mrs Arbuckle by Gwenda Smyth, published by Thomas Nelson Australia, Sydney, 1981
1994
tole of printed, cut paper
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 2014
2014.645
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione
Italian c. 1609–1664
Melancholy
c.1645-48
engraving
2nd state
Felton Bequest, 1925
1453-3
George Cruikshank etcher
English 1792–1878
E. H. L. draughtsman
English active c. 1817
A curious junto of slandering elves or List’ners seldom hear good of themselves
from the Cruikshankiana series, published by Thomas McLean, London, 1835
1817, 1835 published
etching
2nd of 2 states
Gift of Mr B. Moore, 18994203.24-3
Dalziel Brothers wood-engraver
English 1839–1894
G. J. Pinwell draughtsman
English 1842–1875
Frau Wachoff at work
1867
wood-engraving
Bequest of Percival Serle, 1952
2929.258-4
Athol Shmith
Australian 1914–1990
Peter Turner
c. 1977
gelatin silver photograph
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by the Shmith Family, Governor, 19961996.286
Gregory Rogers
Australian 1957–2013
Girl with sword and white cat
cover illustration for Sabriel by Garth Nix, published by HarperCollins, Sydney, 1995
1995
watercolour and coloured pencil
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.630
Eileen Mayo
English 1906–1994, lived in Australia 1953–62, New Zealand 1962–94
Woman and siamese cat
1952
colour lithograph
ed. 20/20
Purchased, 19563394-4
Pierre Bonnard
French 1867–1947
Woman stroking a cat
c. 1920
pencil, laid down
Purchased with funds donated by the National Gallery Women’s Association, 1984P82-1984
Seitei Watanabe
Japanese 1851–1918
No. 1 from Art world
1890
colour woodblock print, silk thread binding
Shaw Research Library, National Gallery of Victoria
Utagawa Kunisada
Japanese 1786–1865
Woman playing with cat
from the Fabrics to order in current taste (Atsurae ori jisei konomi) series
1843–1847
colour woodblock print
Purchased with funds donated by Cecilie Hall, 2024
Joyce Walsh
Australian active 1990s
Ann James after
Australian born 1952
A pet for Mrs Arbuckle
artwork based on cover illustration by Ann James for A Pet for Mrs Arbuckle by Gwenda Smyth, published by Thomas Nelson Australia, Sydney, 1981
1994
tole of printed, cut paper
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.645
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione
Italian c. 1609–1664
Melancholy
c.1645-48
engraving
2nd state
Felton Bequest, 19251453-3
George Cruikshank etcher
English 1792–1878
E. H. L. draughtsman
English active c. 1817
A curious junto of slandering elves or List’ners seldom hear good of themselves
from the Cruikshankiana series, published by Thomas McLean, London, 1835
1817, 1835 published
etching
2nd of 2 states
Gift of Mr B. Moore, 18994203.24-3
Indian
Devi
early 18th century
opaque watercolour on paper
Felton Bequest, 1980
AS81-1980
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn
Dutch 1606–1669
The Virgin And Child With The Cat: And Joseph
1654
etching
Felton Bequest, 1929
4235-3
Unknown engraver
Albrecht Dürer after
German 1471–1528
Adam and Eve
18th-19th century
engraving
Felton Bequest, 1923
1278.1054-3
Albrecht Dürer placed a cat front and centre in his engraving illustrating the Christian Old Testament narrative of the fall of humanity. Portrayed as a malevolent creature, the cat’s tail is wound around Eve’s leg, echoing the form of the serpent/devil at the crucial moment she accepts the fateful forbidden fruit, bringing corruption and original sin to the Garden of Eden. Until that moment, animals in Eden lived in harmony, even the dog, cat and mouse. Feigning sleep, Dürer’s cat is actually mouse watching, an allusion to its supposed deceitful nature as no doubt the cat will soon pounce on the mouse caught under Adam’s foot.
Chan Ping Kwong
Chinese born 1940, arrived Australia 1970s
Lotus and cat
1994
ink and pigments on paper
Purchased through the NGV Foundation with the assistance of The Thomas William Lasham Fund, Governor, 2001
2001.138
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Japanese 1839–1892
Madaramaru
from the Handsome and brave heroes of the Water Margin (Biyū Suikoden 美勇水滸伝) series 1866–67
1866–1867
colour woodblock
Purchased, NGV Asian Art Acquisition Fund, 2013
2013.697.12
This Japanese woodblock print shows a dramatic scene from the popular Ming Dynasty Chinese novel Handsome and brave heroes of the Water Water Margin. It is a tale of heroism based around the adventures of a large band of outlaws who battle many demons and dangerous spirits. It has a universal appeal and was translated into Japanese in the 18th century. It subsequently inspired many of the great Japanese print makers including Hokusai, Utagawa Kuniyoshi and Yoshitoshi Tsukioka. In 1866, Yoshitoshi made fifty illustrations to the novel, mostly focusing on supernatural themes. Here, one of the outlaws, Madramaru, conjures a cat demon.
Ben Quilty
Australian born 1973
Ukiyo-e (Study for 150 year, Rorschach)
2019
brush and coloured inks
Gift of the artist through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2022
2022.878
This drawing is a preparatory sketch of a very large cat that appears in Ben Quilty’s 150 year, Rorschach, 2019, a seven-panel panoramic landscape painting that is in the collection of NGV. He has modelled and styled the cat after Japanese Ukiyo-e prints and drawings which reinforces the spiritual and other worldly quality of his painting.
Humans and dogs have been closely connected for thousands of years since the beginnings of canine domestication. As society has evolved over time, so too has the role of our canine companions. Initially used as guards and for hunting, dogs are now regarded as important members of the family, each appreciated for their unique personality. This evolving role has been captured in art and design throughout the centuries.
The move away from depictions of the working dog has led to an abundance of objects reflecting the companionship between people and their pets. In such works, it is not merely the animal itself being portrayed, but rather the love for the dog as felt by the artist or people in the artwork. In seventeenth-century Europe, dog portraiture grew in popularity when the dog itself became the primary subject. Artists have also been inspired by their own dogs and many, including William Hogarth and Thomas Gainsborough, became well known for inserting their favourite dogs into their art.
Today, museum collections around the world are full of works depicting hounds and their various roles within society. Our unique interspecies relationship crosses time and place, with many cultures documenting the companionship provided by faithful hounds.
Matthew Sleeth
Australian born 1972
Untitled
from the Opfikon series 1997
1997, printed 2004
type C photograph
ed. 2/15
Presented through the NGV Foundation by Patrick Corrigan AM, Governor, 20052005.271.25
David Hockney
English born 1937, lives in United States 1964–68, 1975–
Moujik
2010
iPad drawing printed on paper
ed. 7/25
A gift from David Hockney, 20192019.165
Samuel Edmund Waller
English 1850–1903
Jealous
1875
oil on canvas
Purchased, 1875p.305.2-1
Loving, reciprocal relationships between humans and dogs can similarily be formed between other animals, as shown in this work. Jealous evokes the emotional bond between mother and child, as well as the sadness of being left out of this tender moment. Not only is the emotion captured by the title of the work, it is also demonstrated by the longing look of the half-hidden pup in the background.
Oskar Kokoschka
Austrian 1886–1980
The greyhoundLe Chien de course
colour lithograph
ed. 30/200
Felton Bequest, 1954 3109-4
Fred Williams
Australian 1927–82, lived in England 1952–56
Dog resting
1945
pen and ink on green paper
Gift of Lyn Williams AM and Family through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20222022.670
Fred Williams
Australian 1927–82, lived in England 1952–56
Dog walking
1940s–50s
pen and ink
Gift of Lyn Williams AM and Family through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20222022.673
Fred Williams
Australian 1927–82, lived in England 1952–56
Dog running
c. 1953
coloured conte crayon, brown wash
Gift of Lyn Williams AM and Family through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20222022.706
Christine Godden
Australian born 1947
Dog in the corner
1974
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1991PH112-1991
What seems at first to be a quick snapshot masks the intimate nature of Christine Godden’s work. While Godden often focuses on the domestic and the place of women within everyday life, the artist’s documentary-style practice also captures the nuance of individual experience. Obscuring the dog’s head, this work focuses instead on the dog’s position in the room, suggesting the comfort it provides to its owner through its presence alone.
Cornelis Saftleven
Dutch 1607–81
A seated spaniel, his back turned
17th century
charcoal and chalk on brown paper
Presented through the NGV Foundation by Margaret Stones, Governor, 20042004.134
Jenny Watson
Australian born 1951
Alsatian
1971
gouache and coloured pencil on paper
on cardboard
Michell Endowment, 1982DC4-1982
Ingeborg Tyssen
Dutch 1945–2002, arrived Australia 1957
Sydney
1974
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1976PH194-1976
Tim Jones
Welsh born 1962, arrived Australia 1984
Dog running after Jan van Kolze
1999
wood engraving
ed. 11/35
Purchased NGV Foundation, 20062006.352
John Williams
Australian 1933–2016
Untitled
1972
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1975PH202-1975
William Wegman
American born 1943
Untitled (Three-legged dog)
1975
gelatin silver photograph
ed. 9/60
Purchased, 1976PH7-1976
Wegman’s Weimaraners, a dog breed historically German in origin and used for hunting, are central to his photography practice. As Wegman’s muses, dogs have been both the object of the artist’s obsessive gaze, and at other times participants in a collaborative practice. His first collaboration with a Weimaraner began in 1970 when one joined the family and was named Man Ray, in honour of one of Wegman’s most admired modern artists. Man Ray was a highly spirited performer before Wegman’s camera.
Grant Mudford
Australian born 1944, lived in United States 1977–
Bondi
1972
gelatin silver photograph
ed. 4/10
Purchased with the assistance of the Visual Arts Board, 1973PH4-1973
Fred Williams
Australian 1927–1982, lived in England 1952–56
Dog resting
1952–1956
pen and ink
Gift of Lyn Williams AM and Family through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20222022.672
Fred Williams
Australian 1927–1982, lived in England 1952–56
Dog
1955–1956
etching and flat biting
ed. 4/14
Gift of Lyn Williams AM, 20072007.226
Jim Dine
American born 1935
The dog
2000
etching, soft-ground etching, relief etching and spit-bite aquatint printed in black and white ink
ed. 2/18
Gift of the artist, 20162016.859
Viva Gibb
Australian 1945–2017
Condemned!
from the In the lucky country series (1982–83)
1982–1983
gelatin silver photograph
Gift of Mrs Barbara Barnes, 1983PH173.90-1983
Mark Cohen
American born 1943
Untitled
1975
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1976PH161-1976
Minton, Hollins & Co., Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire manufacturer
English c. 1840–c. 1912
Tile
1869–1900
earthenware
Presented by Miss E. Joske, 1958 1809A-D4
The Minton manufactory was initially founded in 1793 founded by Thomas Minton. Of the various iterations to follow, it was under his son, Herbert Minton, that the manufacturing of tiles flourished during the nineteenth century. The industrial revolution saw the production of tiles for both the walls and floor on a mass scale for the first time. With this increased production came different styles and techniques which fulfilled the unique requirements of tile use in various areas of the household. Victorian era tile designs were stylistically diverse including botanical motifs and natural scenes such as this pair of tiles which showcase hunting dogs positioned in the landscape.
Minton, Hollins & Co., Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire manufacture
English c. 1840–c. 1912
Tile
1869–1900
earthenware
Presented by Miss E. Joske, 19581809D-D4
English
Untitled (Painting for a cover of an album of cartes-de-visite)
c. 1860–80
painted lacquered wood, leather cover, handstitched binding, brass clasp
Presented through The Art Foundation by Mrs Paula Stafford, OAM, Fellow, 1994PH23-1994
Takahashi Ryoun
Japanese active 1900–35
PuppiesKushi
c. 1930
bronze
Purchased with funds donated by Allan Myers AO and Maria Myers AO, 20152015.410.a-b
These bronze sculptures display the long and skilled tradition of Japanese bronzeware portraying playful ideas of ‘cute’. Dogs are animals of the Japanese and Chinese zodiac calendar, and became popular themes in Japanese art during the Edo period (1600– 1868). The simplicity and sophistication of Japanese Art Deco design during the modernist era is illustrated here by the puppies’ solid rounded forms, contrasted with their innocent, delicately rendered expressions.
Meissen Porcelain Factory, Meissen manufacturer
German est. 1710
Figure of a hound
18th century
porcelain
Patricia Begg OAM Bequest, 2024
New acquisition
Since their domestication, dogs have worked alongside humans. Recognising their contributions to communities, artists have been producing imagery of the working dog for centuries. Whether leading the hunt, guarding supplies or herding sheep, the dog’s natural instincts make them an asset to many human societies. In Australia, the working dog is synonymous with farming life, with cattle dogs and sheepdogs possessing a level of skill and endurance unmatched by modern technology.
Frank Hurley
Australian 1890–1962
The fatal day, October 27th 1915
1915
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1977PH95-1977
The death of the sled dogs on Ernest Shackleton’s 1914–17 trans-Antarctic expedition was the source of much heartache for the crew aboard the ship Endurance. When the ship became trapped in ice just over a month into its journey, the survival of the expeditioners became dependent on conserving resources. This had tragic consequences for the much-loved dogs. ‘Owing to this shortage of food and the fact that we needed all that we could get for ourselves, I had to order all the dogs except two teams be shot,’ Shackelton wrote in his 1920 autobiography. ‘It was the worst job that we had throughout the expedition, and we felt their loss keenly.’
Frank Hurley director
Australian 1890–1962
Home of the Blizzard: Life in the Antarctic
1913
digital file transferred from 35mm black and white, silent, 67 minutes, excerpts duration 1 minute 38 seconds
Courtesy National Film and Sound Archive of Australia
Australian film pioneer Frank Hurley was the official photographer for the 1911–14 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, led by Douglas Mawson. Fifty Greenland sled dogs set out on the journey and were essential for transporting supplies. Hurley subsequently toured widely with this film, performing a live commentary to the silent footage that revealed the region’s stunning vistas, penguin colonies and harsh conditions to audiences for the first time. To protect native seals from disease, dogs no longer work in Antarctica.
Will Dyson
Australian 1880–1938
Cattle dog overlooking herd of sheep
1920s
pen, brush and ink, pencil
Gift of Hugh McCubbin, 1960686.23-5
For centuries artists have recorded the valuable contributions of farm dogs. The leadership qualities of herding dogs, and the farmer’s faith in them, are perfectly captured in this work by Will Dyson. High above the farmer on horseback, the cattle dog is positioned on a ridge like an overseer, assuming a place of power while herding sheep. The labour and skill required to undertake such tasks makes the dog not only a highly prized contributor to the farm, but also a reliable companion for people working in remote areas.
James Ward
English 1769–1859
Study from nature: Shepherd boy and sheepdog
c. 1800–25
watercolour and bodycolour over pencil
Bequest of Howard Spensley, 1939614-4
As the popularity of genre painting grew in England in the early nineteenth century, many artists forged successful careers as specialist painters of animals. James Ward was one such artist: he found great success mainly through his paintings of horses, a specialist area of its own. But Ward could easily turn his hand to other subjects, and dogs often appear in his paintings. His love of animals went beyond the brush – he actively campaigned against animal cruelty.
Artist’s name not recorded
Queensland Aboriginal active 1920s
Woorabinda mission shield
1926 Woorabinda, Queensland
natural pigments on wood
Felton Bequest, 20112011.158
Septimus Power
New Zealander 1877–1951, arrived Australia 1887, lived in France 1905–07, England 1907–13
Staghunt, Exmoor
1911
oil on canvas
Felton Bequest, 1913577-2
Indian
Prince Man Singh of Jodhpur hawking
c. 1800
opaque watercolour and gold paint on paper
Felton Bequest, 1980AS237-1980
In India, dogs often played an important role in hunting, which is captured in a number of Rajasthani watercolours. Depicted as part of a royal runt, the dog in this work is given prominence within the scene, acknowledging its integral role in the practice of hawking. A tradition dating back centuries, hawking, or falconry, requires the specialised skill of birds often alongside that of dogs. In Rajput culture, the practice of hawking served as a signififer of status.
Cornelis Saftleven
Dutch 1607–1681
Interior with soldiers
1620s
oil on wood panel
Felton Bequest, 19314563-3
At first, the dog in this work may be difficult to see, somewhat concealed by the shadows in the front left corner. However, it is an important figure because it is guarding sleeping soldiers. Scenes of soldiers formed a popular subgenre of Dutch art known as kortegaardjes, derived from the French term corps de garde (guard post). This work was made during the Eighty Years’ War (1568–1648) between the Dutch Republic and the Spanish Empire. Soldiers, often accompanied by hounds, were a familiar sight in the Dutch countryside during this period.
Frame: reproduction, 2003, based on a Dutch frame from 1618
Briton Riviére
English 1840–1920
Deer stealers pursued by sleuth hounds
1875
oil on canvas
Purchased, 1876p.305.7-1
This work depicts poachers stealing a deer from a successful hunting group. The wounded hound in the foreground reflects the darker side of being a working dog. The anguish suffered by the primary hound is viscerally rendered by Briton Rivière, a noted animalier, a nineteenth-century artist who specialised in the realistic portrayal of animals. He spent hours at the London Zoo studying and drawing animals.This work was inspired by the unfair gaming laws that prohibited the populace from hunting for food on crown land in medieval times. Although the focus of the picture is the wounded hound, Rivière also captures the thieves’ feelings of desperation. The inequity of such unfair gaming laws inspired the English folk hero Robin Hood.
Australian National Film Board producers
1939–55
A Man and His Dog
1951
digital file transferred from 16mm black and white, sound, 9 mins 43 seconds, excerpt duration 4 mins
Courtesy ACMI Collection
This short documentary explains the distinctive features of the kelpie, a breed of Australian sheepdog. Here we see the close connection between a working dog and its owner as they learn to muster and control a large mob of sheep. This film was made to be screened in schools around Australia.
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Japanese 1839–92
Satomi Jirotarō Yoshinari
from the Handsome and Brave Heroes of the Water Margin (Biyū Suikoden) series 1866–67
1866–67
colour woodblock
Purchased, NGV Asian Art Acquisition Fund, 20132013.697.47
S. T. Gill
English 1818–1880, arrived Australia 1839
Homeward bound
plate 13 from The Australian Sketchbook 1864
1864
colour lithograph
Purchased, 19533049.12-4
Tsukioka Yoshitoshi
Japanese 1839–1892
Yatsushiro, the Wife of Hatchōtsubute Kiheiji
Hatchōtsubute Kiheiji tsuma Yatsushiro 八丁礫喜平治妻八代
from the Handsome and brave heroes of the Water Margin (Biyū Suikoden 美勇水滸伝) series 1866–67
1866–1867
colour woodblock
Purchased, NGV Asian Art Acquisition Fund, 2013,2013.697.30
Indian
Maharana Ari Singh II hunting bear
1763
opaque watercolour and gold paint on paper
Felton Bequest, 1980AS181-1980
Italian
Border
15th century
linen (needle lace)
Felton Bequest, 1964817-D5
Chinese
Dog
earthenware, coloured pigments
Felton Bequest, 1947627-D4
Chinese
Hound
Northern Wei dynasty 386–534 CE
earthenware, pigment
Purchased, 19303238-D3
England manufacturer
Doorstop
19th century
cast iron
Purchased, 1971 D177-1971
As far back as ancient Greek and Roman times, small breeds of dog were welcomed into the homes and onto the laps of loving humans. The European tradition of painting women of status with their lapdogs dates back to the sixteenth century and became increasingly popular during the eighteenth century. Known as ‘comforters’, these small and often fluffy dogs symbolised wealth and leisure. Unlike prized hunting dogs, these pooches were kept for the sole purpose of companionship and, as such, the cost of their upkeep far outweighed their material contributions to the household.
Alexander Roslin
Swedish 1718–93, worked throughout Europe 1745–93
Anastasia Ivanovna, Countess of Hesse- Homburg, Princess Trubetskaya
1757
oil on canvas
Everard Studley Miller Bequest, 1971E7-1971
This portrait of a Russian princess was painted in Paris in 1757, at the height of Alexander Roslin’s acclaim in France. Here, a small pooch is frozen mid–tail wag, poised to jump onto the lap of its aristocratic owner. The lapdog, along with the extravagance of the scene – the subject’s clothing and the room’s lavish furnishings – serves to emphasise the princess’s wealth and royal status. This work was painted in the mid eighteenth century, when depictions of women and their dogs were at the height of their popularity.
Gainsborough Dupont mezzotinter
English 1754–97
Thomas Gainsborough after
English 1727–88
Charlotte Queen of Great Britain
1790
mezzotint, etching
Gift of E. Makower, 19251414-3
Atong Atem
South Sudanese born 1991, arrived Australia 1997, Australian
Maria of Mars
2022
inkjet print
Purchased, Victoria Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20222022.1561
In this self-portrait, Melbourne-based artist Atong Atem subverts the longstanding tradition of aristocratic women posing with their lapdogs. While similarities can be drawn between the composition of Atem’s work and others in this section of the exhibition, Atem’s works challenge entrenched ideas of status as opposed to celebrating them. Posing with an Italian greyhound named Rooster, Atem, her face painted green, challenges Western beauty standards and what is considered ‘normal’.
Rupert Bunny
Australian 1864–1947, lived in Europe 1884–1933
Portrait of the artist’s wife
c. 1902
oil on canvas
Felton Bequest, 19461684-4
Pierre Bonnard
French 1867–1947
Siesta La Sieste
1900
oil on canvas
Felton Bequest, 19492053-4
Siesta is among Pierre Bonnard’s frank portraits documenting his close relationship with his model, muse and later wife, Marthe Boursin. Bonnard used photographs of their bedroom as an aid in creating this painting – but, curiously, the dog does not appear in the photos. Its inclusion in the painting, however, reinforces the relaxed languor of the sleeping Marthe. Bonnard loved cats and dogs, surrounding himself with them all his life and favouring dachshunds as an adult. An early biographer stated that Bonnard liked animals more than people. Dozens of his works included a cat, a dog or both, either as the main subject or, like the white dog here, as an integral part of the family.
Frame: reproduction, 1986, based on photographs from 1906
Ishikawa Toraji
Japanese 1875–1964
Sound of the bellSuzu no ne
from the Ten Types of Female Nudes (Rajo Jusshu) series 1934
1934
colour woodblock
Purchased, NGV Asian Art Acquisition Fund, 20142014.24.8
Ishikawa Toraji’s celebrated Ten Nudes series depicts Japanese women in fashionable 1930s interiors accompanied by items of leisure and favoured pets, in this case a fluffy Pekingese dog. The figurative style is influenced by the artist’s studies in Europe, and the prints display the dog breeds and hairstyles that were favoured by modern Japanese women of the time.
Jessie MacKintosh
Australian 1892–1958
The pooch
1930s
colour linocut
Gift of Andrée Fay Harkness through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20202020.501
David Hockney
English born 1937, lives in United States 1964–68, 1975–
Stanley
1988
fax drawing
Gift of John Hockney, 20222022.61
David Hockney’s fondness for his dogs, two dachshunds called Stanley and Boodgie, is well documented through his artistic practice. In hundreds of artworks, Hockney lovingly depicts them sitting, sleeping and curled up on their beds. This prolific output documents the complex and emotional relationship that can be forged between humans and their dogs.
Jean Condé engraver
French 1767–1794, worked in England 1797–94
Richard Cosway after
English 1742–1821
Maria Anne Fitzherbert
1792
stipple engraving, printed in brown ink
Felton Bequest, 19314486-3
Atong Atem
South Sudanese born 1991, arrived Australia 1997, Australian
Patron saint of lapdogs
2022
inkjet print
Purchased, Victoria Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20222022.1563
In this self-portrait, Melbourne-based artist Atong Atem subverts the longstanding tradition of aristocratic women posing with their lapdogs. While similarities can be drawn between the composition of Atem’s work and others in this section of the exhibition, Atem’s works challenge entrenched ideas of status as opposed to celebrating them. Posing with an Italian greyhound named Rooster, Atem, her face painted green, challenges Western beauty standards and what is considered ‘normal’.
Meyer Altson
English 1881–1965, lived in Australia 1888–1902
Mrs Florence Adelaide Lucas
1948
oil on canvas
Bequest of M. D. Altson, 19671747-5
Dorothy Lathrop
American 1891–1980
Kou Hsiung
1944
wood engraving
Gift of Mr. Peter Lindsay, 19631249.16-5
Wenceslaus Hollar
Bohemian 1607–1677, lived in England 1636–44, 1652–77, Flanders 1644–52
Adriaen Matham after
Dutch c. 1599–1660
White dog
1649
etching
Felton Bequest, 19231278.405-3
Vincennes Porcelain Factory, Paris manufacturer
French 1740–56
Dog
c. 1753
porcelain (soft-paste)
Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of The Wynne Morris Collection, Governor, 1983D16-1983
The Vincennes porcelain factory, forerunner of the Royal Sèvres factory, was established with financial support from the French crown. This delightful, near life-size sculpture of a dog is possibly a portrait of a favourite pet of Madame de Bellefond, granddaughter of the Marquis de Châtelet, governor of the Château de Vincennes. Another representation of a small dog breed, this pup would have been the perfect lapdog.
Jeff Koons designer
American born 1955
Puppy, vase
1998
porcelain
ed. 1394/3000
Purchased, 20042004.564
Jeff Koons’s work draws from kitsch, art history and popular culture, and celebrates a high-camp aesthetic. In 1991, Koons produced a series of naturalistically modelled sculptures of dogs, culminating in his gigantic Puppy of 1992. Following this success, Koons produced a limited edition of smaller terrier and poodle sculptures, and in 1998 released the limited edition Puppy, vase. A self-proclaimed ‘ideas man’, Koons employs technicians to make much of his art. For him, the hand of the artist is not the important issue. ‘Art is really just communication of something,’ he says. ‘The more archetypal it is, the more communicative it is.’
Walborg Co., New York manufacturer
American late 1940s – c. 1963
Hilde Weinberg founder
American active 1940s
Evening bag
1950s
glass (beads), synthetic (lining), metal (fastening)
Gift of Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Family through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20192019.948
Jeff Koons designer
American born 1955
Balloon dog (Red)
1995 designed
porcelain
ed. 1113/2300
Gift of Eric Harding and Athol Hawke, 20062006.386
Jeff Koons has been designing sculptures of balloon animals since the 1980s. Balloon dog was first designed in 1995 and produced in a limited edition of 2300. In 1996, Koons made a life-sized person riding a balloon dog. According to the artist, it is ‘about celebration and childhood and colour and simplicity – but it’s also a Trojan horse. It’s a Trojan horse to the whole body of artwork.’
With the rise in popularity of the lapdog also came the notion of the dog as a fashion accessory. Like clothing, different dog breeds go in and out of fashion, and many people make careful decisions about the breed they acquire. However, there is one breed that has remained highly popular since the nineteenth century: the poodle. Adorned with ribbons, its fur perfectly groomed into pompoms, the poodle has even made its way onto garments such as the 1950s poodle skirt.
Di$count Univer$e, Melbourne fashion house
Australian est. 2009
Cami James designer
Australian born 1986
Nadia Napreychikov designer
Russian born 1987
Poodle dress, gemstone underwear and fishnet
from the Dreams and Screams collection, autumn–winter
2015
silk, plastic (sequins), elastic
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.5.a-c
Here, Di$count Univer$e presents an anthropomorphised punk version of the poodle, challenging the often feminised depiction of the popular breed. When this collection was presented on the runway, the models were accompanied by fluffy white poodles dressed up in glam-rock fetish attire. The contradiction between traditional ideas of the poodle and the version we see here shows the ways in which humans can project their personal tastes onto their pets.
Japanese
Kimono with frolicking puppies in the snow
1925–35
silk, cotton
Purchased with funds donated by Berris Aitken, 20232023.241
Due to dogs generally having large litters and the high survival rate of puppies, dogs became associated with safe childbirth and healthy children. Playful and mischievous puppies had popular appeal with the people of Edo-period Japan (1615–1868). The designer of this kimono has enhanced this auspicious subject by depicting the puppies frolicking among falling snow on a dark background. A large circular shape also appears from the shoulder line of the kimono, representing a traditional snow umbrella or a full moon.
Utagawa Kunisada
Japanese 1786–1865
WinterFuyu
from the Four Seasons (Shiki no uchi) series
c. 1830
colour woodblock
Purchased, 19573675-4
Eugène Guillaumot wood-engraver
French 1813–69
J.J. Grandville draughtsman
French 1803–47
The ‘rentier’ and his wifeLe Rentier et sa femme
illustration for Monograph of the Rentier (Monographie du rentier) by Honoré de Balzac and J. J. Grandville, in The French Painted by Themselves (Les Français peints par eux-mêmes), vol. 3, published by Léon Curmer, Paris, 1840–42
1840
hand-coloured wood engraving
Felton Bequest, 1944 1298-4
Viva Gibb
Australian 1945–2017
Human puppets
from the In the Lucky Country series 1982–83
1982–83
gelatin silver photographs
Gift of Mrs Barbara Barnes, 1983PH173.95-98-1983
Art Goût Beauté, Paris
No. 53, January 1925
pen and coloured inks on paper
National Gallery of Victoria, Shaw Research LibraryCampbell-Pretty Fashion Research Collection
Art Goût Beauté was named after the initials of its publisher Albert Godde, Beddin et Cie, a prestigious textile manufacturing firm based in Lyon. The title translates as ‘Art, Good Taste and Beauty’, which is a succinct summary of its contents. The monthly publication featured the very latest designs from leading couturiers superbly illustrated using the pochoir (stencil) printing technique with garments and fabrics described in detail. Notably, this edition features two stylised greyhounds on the cover.
Athol Shmith
Australian 1914–1990
No title (Fashion illustration. Model in fur lined cape with big dog)
1970s
gelatin silver photograph
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by the Shmith Family, Governor, 19951995.178
Dalziel Brothers wood-engraver
English 1839–1894
John Everett Millais draughtsman
English 1829–1896
Ah me! She was a winsome maid
illustration facing p. 181 for the ballad The Border Witch by T. W. in London Society, vol. 2 (July – December), published by William Clowes and Sons, London, August 1862
1862
wood-engraving
Bequest of Percival Serle, 19522929.280-4
Viva Gibb
Australian 1945–2017
Human puppets
from the In the lucky country series (1982–83)
1982–1983
gelatin silver photographs
Gift of Mrs Barbara Barnes, 1983PH173.95-98-1983
Japanese
Men’s undergarment (nagajuban) with dogs, vinyl records and boys
c. 1930
silk, wool, cotton
Maureen Morrisey Bequest, 20182017.1262
During the late nineteenth centiry and first half of the twentieth century, Japanese men’s garments were plainly coloured on the outside and often only displayed a small family crest known as a kamon. In contrast, men’s under garment kimono (nagajuban), such as this one, as well as the hidden inner lining of their over kimono jackets (haori) were imaginatively decorated. These decortive motifs were personally selected to represent the wearer’s personality and tastes. This example features modernist motifs – vinyl records and cartoon boys with pet dogs – which were representitive of a new fashionable lifestyle as Japan modernised from its feudal era.
A well-trained dog is something that owners strive for but is not always achieved. Many artists have captured poorly behaved pooches and the determination their owners require to train them. From jumping on guests to going to the toilet in undesirable places, dogs can sometimes be disruptive additions to the family. Many dog owners will attest that their schedule revolves around their pet. Needing to rush home so the dog doesn’t chew some shoes is not an uncommon story. Accordingly, artists have not shied away from depicting these troubling behaviours, immortalising the difficulties of dog ownership in art history along with the many perks.
Ker Xavier Roussel
French 1867–1944
Teaching the dogL’Education du chien
1893
colour lithograph
ed. 7/100
Purchased, 19991999.2
The commitment and dedication required to train a dog is perfectly captured by Ker Xavier Roussel’s aptly named work Teaching the dog. This colour lithograph is greatly influenced by Japanese woodcuts and French Symbolist painting. It depicts a woman patiently training her dog – a scene that many dog owners would be familiar with.
Christopher Hodges
Australian born 1954
Abstract drawing on a dog obeying a statue
1986
oilstick and synthetic polymer paint on plywood
Michell Endowment, 1987DC17.a-b-1987
Artist’s name not recorded
Anindilyakwa active 1940s
Dogs fighting
c. 1960 Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory
earth pigments on stringybark (Eucalyptus sp.)
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Dr Milton Roxanas,
Fellow, 19951995.342
Joseph Swain wood-engraver
English 1820–1909
Harry Furniss after
English 1854–1925
Tea party
late 1870s–80s
wood engraving and pencil on chine collé
trial proof
Felton Bequest, 1906771.33-2
Isaac Cruikshank etcher
Scottish 1764–1811
George Moutard Woodward draughtsman
English c. 1760–1809
An Irish epitaph
1807
hand-coloured etching
Felton Bequest, 19262442-3
Chris Steele-Perkins
English born 1947
Along beach in daylight
from the Blackpool Seaside Resort series 1982
1982
cibachrome photograph
Purchased, 1982PH107-1982
In the 1980s, Chris Steele-Perkins photographed everyday life in Britain. This photograph was part of an extended series documenting the British at play – in the pub, at a Conservative Party ball, at the beach in Blackpool – that created a portrait of Britain during the era of the Thatcher prime ministership. Here, a dog lifts its leg on a beach shelter, children cluster around sad-looking donkeys, and a fully clothed man remains intent on reading his newspaper. These disparate elements reveal the declining holiday resort as a sad vestige of its former glory days, perhaps a metaphor for the nation itself at the time.
Vivienne Littlejohn
Australian 1948–2003
It’s a dog’s life IX
1983
collage of woodcut, woodcut on torn newspaper on canvas
Michell Endowment, 1985DC5-1985
Johann Jakob Dorner I
German 1741–1813
The hard landlady
1787
oil on copper
Felton Bequest, 1936347-4
In this moralising composition, a country couple bearing gifts of chickens and eggs beseech their city-dwelling landlady for financial relief. Adorned with silk, velvet, fur and pearls, she seems poised between emotion and indifference to the couple’s plight. To the landlady’s right, a table is strewn with decorative ribbons, more pearls, a silver trinket and a mirror symbolising her vanity. This poignant scene is about to be disrupted by a small dog, which has run in from the right, determined to bark at and possibly eat the chickens that have been brought as compensation.
Oskar Kokoschka
Austrian 1886–1980
The Watchdogs attack Odysseus – The Odyssey No XXII
Lithograph
34/50
Felton Bequest, 19671793.22-5
Unknown
Australian active mid 19th century
Wallaroo and dog
1840s
watercolour, gouache and gum arabic
Purchased, 1979A37-1979
Alison Lester
Australian born 1952
Rosie sips spiders
illustration for Rosie Sips Spiders by Alison Lester, published by Oxford University Press, Melbourne, 1988, p. [12]
1988
watercolour, pen and ink and gouache
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.600
The relationship between dogs and food is undeniable. Meaty treats and biscuits are an extremely useful tool when training dogs, espiecally puppies. Unfortunately, the dogs love of food often leads them to cheeky and poor behvaiour, even more so when children are involved. When a dog sees a child with food, it takes the most upstanding of doggie citizens not to steal or beg for what they believe is owed to them. Oftentimes, the food they find themselves so fixated upon is not something they would even find that tasty in comparison to their own meaty meals. In this work, we see Rosie’s faithful hound, toungue out at the ready, peeping into the frame in the bottom corner. Begging for evem a drop of Rosie’s lime spider, the dogs eyes are so focussed on the drink that they have become the same shade of green.
France
Toile de Jouy
c. 1790
linen
Purchased, 1970D25-1970
Keith Haring
American 1958–1990
Untitled (Dancing dog)
1984
metallic and enamel paint on composition board
Gift of Jason Yeap OAM and Min Lee Wong through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2015
2015.285
The Hardware Club was a queer venue located at 43 Hardware Lane in Melbourne’s CBD throughout the 1980s. During his first and only trip to Melbourne in February 1984, Keith Haring made several trips to the Hardware Club, dancing to disco and funk music into the early hours. During one of his visits, Haring spray-painted the panels on either side of the DJ booth with two of the most iconic figures from his distinctive visual language: a dancing ‘television man’, and a ‘dancing dog’. During one of his visits to the club, Haring met a prominent member of Melbourne’s queer cultural scene, David (Pussy) Aboud, and reportedly asked him: ‘Where are all the surfie boys and where are the beaches?’
The dog’s primary quality of loyalty has long been the reason for its inclusion in art. In works representing romantic and devotional love, the presence of a dog is used to symbolise faithfulness within the courtship. Within these courting scenes, the dog is often positioned to mirror the stance of one of the human subjects, or the dog’s eyeline is used to emphasise the subject being courted. The presence of a dog in these artworks also indicates the purity of the romantic intentions.
François Boucher
French 1703–70
The mysterious basketLe Panier mystérieux
1748
oil on canvas
Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of Coles Myer Ltd, Fellow, Mr Henry Krongold CBE and Mrs Dinah Krongold, Founder Benefactors, and the Westpac Banking Corporation, Founder Benefactor, 1982E2-1982
This work is an example of François Boucher’s particular contribution to the genre of pastoral paintings. This unashamedly sentimental depiction of budding romance is set in an idealised landscape replete with allusions to the much-admired ancient past, such as the classically styled vase in the background. The dog in this work symbolises faithfulness and loyalty – idealised qualities for lasting romance. The man mirrors the dog’s pose, while both of their eyelines are trained on the woman, suggesting that the suitor, like the dog, possesses the same characteristic of devotion.
Francisco Goya y Lucientes
Spanish 1746–1828, lived in France 1824–28
Which of them is the more overcome?¿Quién más rendido?
plate 27 from The Caprices (Los Caprichos) series 1797–98, published 1799
1797–98
etching, aquatint and drypoint printed in sepia ink
1st edition
Felton Bequest, 1976P1.27-1976
Richard Earlom mezzotinter
English 1743–1822
Peter Paul Rubens after
Flemish 1577–1640, worked throughout Europe 1589–1640
The fig
1793
etching, mezzotint
Felton Bequest, 19314474-3
Ascher Ltd, London manufacturer
English est. 1942
André Derain designer
French 1880–1954
Boy and girl
1947
screen-printed silk
Purchased, 19481904.7-4
Italy, Castelli
Bowl
1730–40
earthenware (maiolica)
Bequest of Howard Spensley, 19394410-D3
Nicolas de Launay
French 1739–1792
Jean-Honoré Fragonard after
French 1732–1806
(The souvenir)
Le Chiffre d’amour
1786
etching and engraving
2nd of 2 states
Felton Bequest, 19283709-3
William Chevalier
French 1804–1866
Charles Robert Leslie after
English 1794–1859
Sleeping knight
1828–1857
etching and engraving on chine collé
Felton Bequest, 19262622-3
Dogs are ever-present companions in epic stories and myths. One of the most frequently represented tales from mythology in art and literature is the story of Diana and Actaeon from Ovid’s Metamorphoses (8 CE). The mortal Actaeon goes on a hunt with his companions and a pack of hunting dogs. Seeking shelter from the sun, he stumbles across the goddess Diana bathing in a grotto with her nymphs. Diana turns Actaeon into a stag so he cannot speak of what he has witnessed, and the story ends with his own pack of hunting dogs killing him. Encompassing themes of purity, modesty, rage and justice, this tale has inspired countless works of art and design featuring loyal hounds at Diana’s side.
Minton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire manufacturer
English est. 1793
John Moyr Smith designer
English 1839–1912
The dog and his shadow, plate
c. 1875
earthenware
The Dr Robert Wilson Collection. Gift of Dr Robert Wilson, 20122012.110
This work depicts a tale from Aesop’s fables that warns against being greedy. In the fable, a dog is on its way home carrying a piece of meat when, crossing a bridge, it catches sight of another dog carrying a larger piece of meat. The first dog wants to have both pieces and attempts to snatch the meat from the other dog; it opens its mouth, and the meat falls into the water beneath the bridge. The second dog was merely the first dog’s reflection, and it learns a valuable lesson, being left with no meat at all.
Jacob Jordaens
Flemish 1593–1678
Mercury and Argus
c. 1635–40
oil on wood panel
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Mr James Fairfax AO, Honorary Life Benefactor, 19961996.658
In Ovid’s mythological story of Mercury and Argus, the god Jupiter transforms his nymph lover, Io, into a white heifer in an attempt to hide her from his wife, Juno. However, she is not so easily tricked, and sends Argus, a giant with a hundred eyes, disguised as a simple herdsman to watch over Io and prevent Jupiter from temptation. Depicted here with a faithful hound as his companion, Argus has been lulled to sleep by Jupiter’s faithful messenger, Mercury. In the end, Argus is decapitated by Mercury and Io is released.
Wenceslaus Hollar
Bohemian 1607–77, lived in England 1636–44, 1652–77, Flanders 1644–52
Title page
from Inquiries into the Antiquities of Ireland (De Hibernia & Antiquitatinus ejus Disquisitiones) by Sir James Ware, published by John Crooke, London, 1658, 2nd edition
1658
etching
only state
Felton Bequest, 19231278.1372-3
Napier Waller
Australian 1893–1972
Hit
1923
linocut
ed. 12/35
Gift of Mrs Napier Waller, 1976P139-1976
Thomas Webb & Sons, Stourbridge manufacturer
English 1837–1990
Claret jug
c. 1880
glass (engraved)
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Lady Travers, Member, 1981D66-1981
James Ward mezzotinter
English 1769–1859
Peter Paul Rubens after
Flemish 1577–1640, worked throughout Europe 1589–1640
Diana and her nymphs
1800
mezzotint and etching printed in brown
Felton Bequest, 19314471-3
Renato Guttuso
Italian 1911–87
Diana and ActaeonDianae e Atteone
no. 3 from the Europaeische Graphik VIII portfolio 1972
1972
colour lithograph on Japanese paper
hors commerce, edition A
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Mrs Lieselott Man, Governor, 1993P145.3-1992
Annibale Carracci
Italian 1560–1609
Paris receiving the Golden Apple from Mercury
etching
Felton Bequest, 1925,1445-3
Cornelius Poelenburg
Dutch 1594-1667
Untitled
pen and brown ink and brush
Felton Bequest, 19231278.865-3
Schelte Adams à Bolswert engraver
Dutch 1581-1659, worked in Bolsward 1581-1612, Haarlem 1612-17, Brussels and Antwerp 1617-59
Peter Paul Rubens after
Flemish 1577–1640, worked throughout Europe 1589–1640
Diana returning from the Hunt
c.1640-59
engraving
Felton Bequest, 19262362-3
Aegidius Sadeler II engraver
Flemish 1570, worked throughout Europe c.1579–1629
Joseph Heintz the elder after
Swiss 1564-1609, worked throughout Europe 1584–1640
Diana and her nymphs surprised by Actaon
1590-1627
engraving
Purchased, 189957-2
Chinese
Pair of Fu dogs
17th century – 18th century, Dehua, Fujian Province, China
porcelain
Felton Bequest, 1947631.a-b-D4
Originating in China, these mythical creatures are commonly reffered to as fu dogs but are in fact protective lions. Statues of these mythological guardians often stand at the entrances of temples, palaces and homes to protect against disease and bad spirits. Generally placed in pairs comprising a female and a male, together they represent the balance of Yin and Yang. Known by various names across Asia including shishi in China and komainu in Japan, the Westernised term ‘fu dog’ is likely the result of a misinterpretation due to their resemblance to small breeds of dog.
Italy, Tuscany
Diana and Acteon, plate
1525
earthenware (maiolica)
Felton Bequest, 19404708-D3
The scene in the centre of this dish depicts the mortal Actaeon from Ovid’s Metamorphoses (8 CE) and the goddess Diana. While he is being transformed into a stag, Actaeon is attacked by his own hounds. This dish is distinguished by its ambition of scale and complexity of decoration, yet its place of manufacture remains uncertain. Current evidence points to Tuscany as the most likely region of production.
The dog’s place in the spiritual realm is diverse and differs across cultures. In Australia, dogs and dingoes are present in many First Nations Dreamings and have been consistently documented in art. Significantly in Dreamings, it is only the dingo whose shape remains recognisable to us now. For Pintupi people, such as the artist Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri, it was the dingo who gave human beings their form. As such, the connection between humans, ancestors and the dingo are extremely close. Other cultures and religions see the dogs as an idealised symbol for the values which should be emulated by the community. In Christianity, for example, the presence of the dog alongside key religious figures is emblematic of the faith one should have in Christ.
Tibetan
Divination manuscript
19th century
paper, ink, pigment
Purchased, 20042004.653
Kurnti Jimmy Pike
Walmajarri c. 1940–2002
Kunyarr (Magic spirit dog)
1984
screen-print
ed. 19/20
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1986O.4-1986
Nyurparya Nelson
Pitjantjatjara c. 1920–2005
Papa Tjukurpa (Dingo creation story)
2004
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Purchased with funds donated by Helen Kennan, 20052005.392
Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri
Pintupi born c. 1960
Dingo Dreaming at Marruwa
1988
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Gift of Ron and Nellie Castan, 1989O.75-1989
Gurraypanlil
Ganalbingu early 20th century – c. 1971
Dog Dreaming
1958
earth pigments on stringybark (Eucalyptus sp.)
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by the Michael and Mary Buxton Endowment, Governors, 1995 1995.215
Albrecht Dürer
German 1471–1528
Saint Eustace
1501
engraving
Felton Bequest, 19563470-4
This work depicts Saint Eustace, a Roman general who came across a stag while out hunting. After pursuing the stag, he noticed a cross between its antlers – a moment that led to his conversion to Chirstianity. Dürer’s rendering gives prominence to five accompanying hunting dogs, each of which he carefully portrays in a different pose, capturing them at various angles to demonstrate his artistic talent.
Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn
Dutch 1606–69
Christ at Emmaus: The smaller plate
1634
etching, touches of drypoint
only state
Felton Bequest, 19583817-4
Garry Namponan
Wik-Alkan/Wik-Ngathan born 1963
Baby blossum Ku’
2016
earth pigments and synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.668
Christopher Dresser designer
English 1834–1904
Minton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire manufacturer
English est. 1793
Match pot
1867
porcelain
The Dr Robert Wilson Collection. Presented through the NGV Foundation by Dr Robert Wilson, Honorary Life Benefactor, 20012001.317
The spiritual relationship that can be forged between dog and owner is captured in the design of this match pot. One side depicts a dog sitting in a kennel and reads ‘Our dog Tray in the flesh’, while the other shows the dog with a crown and wings ascending to heaven and reads ‘Our dog Tray in the spirit’. Christopher Dresser’s unique interpretation of the dog makes witty reference to Stephen Foster’s song of 1853, ‘Old Dog Tray’. The work also reflects contemporary Victorian spiritualist beliefs, which differed from the Chistian belief that animals don’t possess souls. This heartfelt tribute to a lost loved one demonstrates the devotional connection that can be forged between humans and dogs, as well as the everlasting impact of human–canine kinship.
Kurnti Jimmy Pike
Walmajarri c. 1940–2002
Murungkurrwarnti (Little men or spirit men)
1984
screenprint
ed. 16/80
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1986O.8-1986
SG woodcutter
German active 1560s–1570s
Unknown after
The Last Supper
1560s–1570s
woodcut
Felton Bequest, 1923 1278.1833-3
The dingo has lived on the Australian continent for at least 3500 years and has cemented itself into cultural and spiritual narratives of First Nations People. The arrival of the British in 1788, along with their domestic European dogs, instigated a crossbreeding epidemic, resulting in countless rogue dingo–domestic mutts. These crossbred dogs are generally known across First Nations communities as ‘camp dogs’. In Far North Queensland, the community of Aurukun knows these dogs as ku’. Many Aurukun artists sculpt these cheeky creatures out of wood. Ku’ sculptures are tangible expressions of ancestral beings, embodying both the spiritual and physical worlds.
David Marpoondin
Wik-Alkan/Wik’en born 1968
Ochre ku’
2016
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.681
David Marpoondin
Wik-Alkan/Wik’en born 1968
Big ku’
2016
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.680
Leigh Namponan
Wik-Alkan/Wik-Ngathan born c. 1961
Brutus ku’
2015
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.678
Bevan Namponan
Wik-Alkan/Wik-Ngathan born 1963
Black ku’
2016
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.672
Lex Namponan
Wik-Alkan/Wik-Ngathan born c. 1961
Three legged ku’
2016
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.676
Lex Namponan
Wik-Alkan/Wik-Ngathan born c. 1961
Smiley Blue Eye
2016
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.675
Lex Namponan
Wik-Alkan/Wik-Ngathan born c. 1961
Ancient ku’
2016
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.677
Bevan Namponan
Wik-Alkan/Wik-Ngathan born 1963
Starlight ku’
2015
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.671
Bruce Bell
Wik-Mungkan born c. 1961
Ku’ camp dog
2015
synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20162016.673
Garry Namponan
Wik-Alkan/Wik-Ngathan born 1963
Ku’ (Camp dog)
2004
earth pigments and synthetic polymer paint on milkwood (Alstonia actinophylla)
Gift of Anthony Stolarek through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20142014.689
Claudia Moodoonuthi
Kaiadilt born 1995
4 wheeler with dog
from the Coya (Little One) installation 2016–17
2017
synthetic polymer paint and fibre-tipped pen on 4 wheeler and wood
Purchased with funds donated by Jo Horgan and MECCA Brands, 20172017.1225.8-9
Nura Rupert
Pitjantjatjara c. 1928–2016
Papa tjuta Tjukurpa (Camp dogs story)
2009
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Gift of Wayne McGeoch through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20132013.305
Trevor Turbo Brown
Latje Latje 1967–2017
Getting their photo taken by tourists
2007
synthetic polymer paint on canvas
Gift of Hans Sip through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20172017.1333
Pitcha Makin Fellas, Ballarat, Victoria art collective
est. 2013
Aboriginal dog
2014
synthetic polymer paint on polyvinyl chloride foamboard
Purchased, Victorian Foundation for Living Australian Artists, 20142014.662
Artist’s name not recorded
Anindilyakwa active 1940s
Dingoes
1948 Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory
earth pigments on stringybark (Eucalyptus sp.)
Gift of the Commonwealth Government, 1956O.2-1956
In the 1940s, many bark paintings by the Anindilyakwa people of Groote Eylandt were collected and placed in state art collections by the amateur anthropologist and ethnographer Charles Mountford. The background of each of these barks was first painted black with pigment made from the rich manganese deposits that are unique to Groote Eylandt. The works were then painted with figures representing two dingoes.
Peter Waples-Crowe
Ngarigo born 1965
Mirrigang days
2019
paper, watercolour, pencil, spray paint, stickers, felt tip markers, synthetic polymer paint, rubber stamp, ink
Purchased, NGV Supporters of Indigenous Art, 20222022.824
Peter Waples-Crowe is a queer Ngarigo artist based in Naarm/Melbourne who celebrates his totemic connection to the dingo through this work. For many First Nations people, a totem is an animal or plant assigned to a person, which they are forbidden from harming. ‘Mirrigang’ is the Ngarigo word for ‘wild dog’ – animals that were often viewed by colonists as pests. Here, Waples-Crowe reclaims the mirrigang from colonial narratives through an assemblage of sketches and text that affirm its place as a totem predating the arrival of Europeans.
The difference between cats and dogs can be summarised by the saying ‘Dogs have masters, cats have servants’. While this may be true, the bond between humans and canines goes well beyond that of simply ‘pet’ and ‘master’. Dog owners become emotionally intertwined with their most faithful of friends to the point that an equal dependence can be formed. The simple expectation that our dogs will be present in our lives continues to be beautifully preserved by artists today.
André Kertész
Hungarian 1894–1985, lived in France 1925–36,
Savoie
1929
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1976PH76-1976
Silesia manufacturer
Ignaz Preissler decorator
1676–1741
Beaker
c. 1725
glass, enamel, silver-gilt
Gift of Peter and Ivanka Canet through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20192019.1107
This thistle-shaped beaker is decorated with the coat of arms of the von Restorf family, members of the German nobility of Mecklenburg-Strelitz. On the reverse, a hound stands in a landscape with the inscription ‘Fideliter‘ (fidelity) below. Throughout history, dogs have been symbols of faithfulness. The word ‘fidelity’, which derives from the Latin word fidus, meaning trust, can be linked to a generic name given to dogs: Fido. The decorative combination here of a dog and a coat of arms suggests that this beaker may have been a wedding gift.
Jacques Callot
French 1592–1635, worked in Italy c. 1611–21
Blind beggar with a dogL’Avengle et son chien
from The Beggars (Les Geux) series c. 1622–23
c. 1622
etching
1st of 2 states
Purchased, 19502217G-4
Louis-Léopold Boilly
French 1761–1845
The lacemakerLa dentellière
1789–93
oil on canvas
Gift of Krystyna Campbell-Pretty AM and Family through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20222022.1529
Edward Schafer & Co., Melbourne retailer
Australian 1858–1942
Belt buckle
c. 1900
15 carat gold, garnets, enamel
The Altmann Collection of Australian Silver. Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by John and Jan Altmann, Founder Benefactors, 1986D19.a-b-1986
Walker Evans
American 1903–75
Victorian gravestone, Mississippi
1935, printed c. 1975
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1975 PH117-1975
Geoff Beeche
Australian active early 1970s
Glebe lady’s son’s dogs
from the Glebe Lady’s Son’s Dogs series 1973
1973
gelatin silver photograph
ed. 2/10
Purchased through the KODAK (Australasia) Pty Ltd Fund, 1975PH296-1975
Naomi Hobson
Kaantju/Umpila born 1978
The great grandmother
from the January First series 2021
2021
inkjet print
Purchased with funds donated by Jo Horgan and MECCA Brands, 20212021.785.10
Pierre-Marie Beyle
French 1838–1902
The last resting place of CocoLa Derniere Étape de Coco
1878
oil on canvas
Purchased, 1881p.308.1-1
Andrew McLean
Australian born 1946
It’s warmer now, here at the coast
illustration for My Dog by John Heffernan, published by Margaret Hamilton Books, Sydney, 2001, pp. 27–28
2001
watercolour over pencil, crayon
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.605
Rebecca Ann Hobbs
Australian born 1976
Complex social groups
from the Suck Roar series 2001
2001
colour digital inkjet print
Purchased with funds arranged by Loti Smorgon for Contemporary Australian Photography, 20052005.411
Indian
Prince Amar Singh II with sardars
c. 1695–1700
opaque watercolour and gold paint on paper
Felton Bequest, 1980AS70-1980
Thomas Cook engraver
English 1744–1818
William Hogarth after
English 1697–1764
Gulielmus Hogarth
1801
engraving
Felton Bequest, 1939889-4
William Hogarth was famously – or, rather, infamously – bound to his dog. The adoration he felt towards his pug, Trump, is well documented throughout the artist’s career. Trump appeared in a number of Hogarth’s works prior to his 1745 self-portrait The painter and his pug. The pug was not a popular breed among men at the time, and Hogarth was unfortunately mocked by critics for his love of the unusual-looking dog.
Eric Thake
Australian 1904–1982
Heels and heeler, Longreach
1971
linocut
Purchased, 1974P141-1974
Édouard Vuillard
French 1868–1940
Mme Bonnard with her dog at rue de Douai
1907
oil on cardboard on wood panel
Felton Bequest, 19553259-4
Édouard Vuillard was a member, along with Pierre Bonnard, of the Nabis, a circle of painters instilled with a Symbolist sensibility who were interested in glowing colours and interior worlds. Vuillard painted Bonnard’s partner, Marthe Boursin, several times. In this version, Marthe is aged around thirty and is shown with her dog. This image of cloistered devotion echoes Bonnard’s own complex relationship with Marthe, whom he did not marry until 1925, more than thirty years after they met. Vuillard gave the completed picture to Bonnard, who kept it all his life.
Edwin Landseer
English 1802–73
Boy with a dog
1820s
pencil
Felton Bequest, 19231278.64-3
August Sander
German 1876–1964
Farm children
from the People of the Twentieth Century project
c. 1913, printed 1972
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1974PH61-1974
Violet Teague
Australian 1872–1951
Cynthia and Count Brusiloff
1917
oil on canvas
Purchased, 19543055-4
Thomas Gainsborough
English 1727–88
Richard St George Mansergh-St George
c. 1776–80
oil on canvas
Felton Bequest, 19221223-3
This work epitomises the emotional bonds that can be formed between dogs and their owners. The hound is depicted lovingly staring up at his master, Richard St George Mansergh-St George (1757–98), who was soon to leave to fight in the American War of Independence. Gazing faithfully upon his friend, the hound seems to intrinsically know that significant changes are approaching. We do not know if Mansergh- St George was ever reunited with his canine companion.
Frame: reproduction, 2005, based on an 18th-century English frame
Christine Godden
Australian born 1947
Joan and her dog
1975, printed 1976
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1991PH151-1991
Jane Tanner
Australian born 1946
December (Child reading with dog and teddy bear)
illustration for The 1992 Little Ark Children’s Calendar compiled by Albert Ullin, published by Allen & Unwin, Sydney, 1991
1991
coloured pencil, coloured pastels, gouache over pencil
Gift of Albert Ullin OAM, 20142014.640
Lorenzo Quaglio II
German 1793–1869
Gerard ter Borch after
Dutch 1617–81
Boy ridding his dog of fleas
1818
lithograph
Felton Bequest, 19263352-3
Viva Gibb
Australian 1945–2017
Desmond, man of Jesus
1991
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased through The Art Foundation of Victoria with the assistance of The Hugh D.T. Williamson Foundation, Founder Benefactor, 1992PH36-1992
Prudence Flint
Australian born 1962
Hunting and fishing
2023
oil on canvas
Purchased with funds donated by Bruce Parncutt AO and Celebration Donors, 20242024.20
Taking the central space in this painting is a small whippet named Slim. Placed between the subject and her reflection, the dog serves as metaphor for the woman’s inner psychological world. This particular whippet is based on real dog who provided solace and support to his owner after a great loss. The whippet in the painting embodies grief and reflection while also representing the healing nature of a dependent relationship between humans and dogs.
William Hogarth
English 1697–1764
The bruiser
1763
etching and engraving
7th of 8 states
Presented through The Art Foundation of Victoria by Emeritus Professor P. W. Musgrave, Member, 19951995.362
William Hogarth was famously – or, rather, infamously – bound to his dog. The adoration he felt towards his pug, Trump, is well documented throughout the artist’s career. Trump appeared in a number of Hogarth’s works prior to his 1745 self-portrait The painter and his pug. The pug was not a popular breed among men at the time, and Hogarth was unfortunately mocked by critics for his love of the unusual-looking dog.
Tournai Porcelain Factory, Tournai manufacturer
Flanders 1751–1850
Pot-pourri
c. 1765
porcelain (soft paste)
The Wynne Morris Collection. Gift of Peter Wynne Morris, 20102010.66.a-b
The Tournai factory produced ornamental wares of extremely high quality in the French taste. At their best, these porcelains are comparable to the products of the royal factories of Vincennes and Sèvres and many Tournai models were copied directly from examples produced at these factories. This pot-pourri may be compared with very similar models produced at St Cloud, Chantilly, Mennecy and Vincennes. The putto figure is closely related to a figure representing an allegory of water from a series of ten allegorical enfants Boucher by the Tournai factory and is accompaied by an ever faithful hound
Eileen Mayo
English 1906–1994, lived in Australia 1953–62, New Zealand 1962–94
The ice cream cart
1934
colour linocut
ed. 19/30
Gift of Andrée Fay Harkness through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 2020
2020.483
Lucas Kilian
German 1579–1637, worked in Italy 1601–04
Boy with a large dog
1612
engraving
Felton Bequest, 19231278.638-3
Christine Godden
Australian born 1947
Dianna and the dog
1973, 1976 printed
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased from Admission Funds, 1991 PH97-1991
Charles Heath engraver
English 1785-848
Richard Parkes Bonington after
English 1802–1828, worked in France 1817–27
Francis the first and his sister
1827-30
engraving
Felton Bequest, 1926 2595.2-3
Geoff Beeche
Australian active early 1970s, active in Australia early 1970s
Glebe lady’s son’s dogs
from the Glebe lady’s son’s dogs series 1973
1973
gelatin silver photograph
ed. 2/10
Purchased through the KODAK (Australasia) Pty Ltd Fund, 1975PH295-1975
Phil May
Great Britain 1864–1903, lived in Australia 1886–88
An Adept Skipping
1896
pen and Ink
Felton Bequest, 193377-4
Matthew Sleeth
Australian born 1972
Untitled
from the Opfikon series 1997
1997, 2004 printed
type C photograph
ed. 2/15
Presented through the NGV Foundation by Patrick Corrigan AM, Governor, 20052005.271.3
Indian
Maharana Jawan Singh riding
c. 1835
opaque watercolour and gold paint on paper
Felton Bequest, 1980AS263-1980
Viva Gibb
Australian 1945–2017
Man and his dogs
c. 1980
gelatin silver photograph
Gift of Sybil Gibb and Rupert Duffy in memory of Viva Gibb through the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program, 20192019.90
Peggy Silinsky
American born 1952 ,Australian
In the park
1973
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1980PH343-1980
Naomi Hobson
Kaantju/Umpila born 1978
The God Son
from the January First series 2021
2021
inkjet print
Purchased with funds donated by Jo Horgan and MECCA Brands, 20212021.785.11
Naomi Hobson is a multidisciplinary artist of Kaantju and Umpila descent. A painter, ceramicist and photographer, Hobsons blends issues of political and social activism with her identity to emphasise her own relationship with the land and her community of Coen – a remote township in the heart of Cape York. This work forms part of Hobson’s January First series that documents a contemporary local custom related to the beginning of the new year. Generations of family members are captured participating in the ritual of applying white powder (clay or flour) to the faces of special kin. This symbolic custom celebrates the bonds between relatives and is seen as a sign of respect and good energy moving into the new year. Godparents, cousins and grandchildren, and in the case of this work their loyal dog, are captured in their homes, revealing the intimate and often undocumented customs of remote community life.
Jacques Henri Lartigue
French 1894–1986
Monsieur Folletête and Tupy, Paris, March 1912
c. 1912, 1970s printed
gelatin silver photograph
Purchased, 1974PH242-1974
Lionel Lindsay
Australian 1874–1961
Old Flood and his dog
c.1914
pen and ink over pencil on pale blue paper
Gift of the artist, 19533022.28-4