Our Top Eight Famous Dog Paintings
1. Cave Canem Mosaic (1st century B.C.), Artist Unknown
As mentioned above, the oldest known representation of a dog isn’t a painting, but a mosaic discovered in the House of the Tragic Poet in the ruins of Pompeii. The house got its name from a different mosaic – one in which actors prepare to perform a tragedy – but the house’s most well-known artwork stars a dog. On the floor of the main entrance, an intimidating black dog stands sentry over the Latin inscription Cave Canem, which translates to “Beware of dog.”
lArt historians believe that the Cave Canem mosaic served the same purpose thousands of years ago as similar signs do today: to warn people about the presence of a dog on their property. More insightfully, it provides a window into the type of relationships the ancient Romans had with their canine companions. Seen as guardians and protectors who could defend their households from threats, dogs weren’t just used for hunting, but were integrated into life at home. Even the people who brought us “Gladiator” couldn’t resist a good snuggle sesh.
2. “A Friend in Need” (1903) by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge
No round-up of dogs in art is complete without mentioning Cassius Marcellus Coolidge's iconic series, “Dogs Playing Poker.” Though frequently dismissed as kitsch, these 16 paintings are regarded by many as a classic example of Americana. Coolidge created the series – in which dogs dance, play baseball, and testify in court – for Brown & Bigelow, a calendar company. (Is there anything more American than the commercialization of art?) The series made him a fortune – and gave us indelible images of dogs unleashed.
Widely reproduced and parodied, the series’ most famous painting, “A Friend in Need,” is instantly recognizable. In it, a cigar-chomping bulldog covertly passes an ace to his friend under the table in a casual case of canine collusion (Or is he hiding it? He’s cheating either way!) at a late-night, boy’s only poker game. The lights are low, the drinks are flowing, and the premise is winningly absurd. The iconic image is probably on as many mouse pads and mugs as “The Mona Lisa.” Art snobs and da Vinci may shudder, but “A Friend in Need” sold for $658,000 at an auction at Sotheby’s in 2015.
3. “The Dog” (1820-23) by Francisco Goya
“A lone dog, partially submerged in an undefined space, gazes upward with an expression of forlorn hope or despair.”
Ask ChatGPT to describe Francisco Goya’s stark portrait of a dog, and this is what you’ll get. We mean…the bot’s not wrong? Whoever you ask, this painting is inscrutable. The subject of “The Dog” is nowhere recognizable – whether it’s somewhere liminal or physical is up to the beholder. Art historians have attributed many meanings to this Old Master’s enigmatic work – ranging from existential dread to an allegory of neglect. For a more hopeful read, may we suggest that it evokes the feeling of longing you have when you look at an out-of-reach snack?
“The Dog” is part of Goya’s "Black Paintings" series, so named because of the dark pigments and doleful subject matters he favored at the time. The paintings in this series were originally murals that Goya painted directly on the walls of his house, "la Quinta del Sordo." Notably, Goya never intended for these works to be displayed: They were like large-scale diary entries, and he painted them while living alone during a time of emotional, mental, and physical distress. However, in 1873, the Baron Émile d'Erlanger acquired the house and had Goya’s murals transferred to canvas. The murals lost a large amount of paint in the process, but were ultimately sent to the Prado Museum, where they’ve been on view since 1889.
4. “Puppy” (1992) by Jeff Koons
For an artistic palette cleanser – and a return to kitsch – nothing could be further from the dreary gloominess of Goya’s “The Dog” than Jeff Koons’ exuberant “Puppy.”
Unapologetically cheerful, colorful, and cute, this oversize statue of a West Highland White Terrier – which stands 43 feet tall, to be exact – is made from a series of stainless steel armatures that holds over 25 tons of soil watered by an internal irrigation system.
“Puppy” has been displayed at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Sydney and at New York’s Rockefeller Center. One version also permanently stands guard at the entrance to the Guggenheim Bilbao, and another keeps watch over collector Peter Brant’s backyard in Connecticut. “Puppy” is a true living artwork, and it references, with a wink, the topiary plantings of formal 18th-gardens, Chia Pets, Hallmark greeting cards, and the aesthetics of dog breeding. And, if you’ve ever been to a Kismet event IRL, you’ll recognize “Puppy” as the inspiration behind our colorful, inflatable, larger-than-life mascot who greets guests at the entrance of all of our parties.
5. Portraits of Stanley and Boodgie by David Hockney
All of the artists mentioned above created famous paintings of dogs, but little is known about their personal relationships with pups off the canvas. Not so David Hockney, a doyen of the pop art movement who is widely considered to be one of the most influential British artists of the 20th and 21st centuries.
Known for his paintings of sun-drenched Los Angeles’ bungalows and their well-heeled (though often nude) poolside inhabitants of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Hockney turned to a different set of muses later in his career. Between 1993 and 1995, he painted and sketched hundreds of images of his beloved dachshunds, Stanley and Boodgie. This period culminated in a show of 45 paintings of his pups at Salts Mill, in Hockney’s home town of Bradford, England. “Dog Days” was Hockney’s biggest show since a Los Angeles retrospective in 1988. Joyful and intimate, the portraits were not for sale – and Hockney’s love and admiration for his dogs was apparent with every brushstroke. Here’s Hockney on his pups and the inspiration behind “Dog Days:”
“They sleep with me; I'm always with them here. They don't go anywhere without me and only occasionally do I leave them. They're like little people to me. The subject wasn't dogs but my love of the little creatures.”
- David Hockney
6. "Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash" (1912) by Giacomo Balla
One of the most avant-garde paintings of a dog is "Dynamism of a Dog on a Leash" by Giacomo Balla. The oil painting is a key work of the Futurist movement, which sought to capture the dynamism, speed, and energy of modern life. In it, Balla captures a small dachshund and the feet of the person walking it in blurred, rapid motion.
The painting was influenced by the artist's interest in chronophotographic studies of animals in motion, a photographic technique that captures several phases of movement. Besides being a seminal work, it conveys the adorable ridiculousness of a dachshund on the move – a gift to all dog lovers.
7. “His Master’s Voice” (1898) by Francis Barraud
In the same way that “A Friend in Need” is burned into the American psyche, “His Master’s Voice” is an image that everyone has seen – even if they’re not sure where or when.
The painting features a dog named Nipper listening intently – and rather quizzically – to a gramophone. It became widely recognized as the logo for the Victor Talking Machine Company, and later for RCA Victor.
The original painting, by English artist Francis Barraud, got off to an inauspicious start. Recognizing its commercial potential, Barraud attempted to sell the work to various phonograph companies. There were no bites until William Barry Owen, the American founder of the Gramophone Company in England, offered to buy the painting as long as Barraud agreed to modify it to show one of the Gramophone Company’s disc machines. He did, and the rest is history.
8. “Pizza Lover” (2024) by Alison Friend
British artist and illustrator Alison Friend parlayed a successful career as a greeting card and children’s book illustrator into Internet stardom as an animal portraitist. Nostalgic and wry, her limited-edition animal portraits sell out faster than you can hit refresh – and the comments on her Instagram feed are a reliable mix of print requests and declarations of love for the painting’s subject. A longtime lover of animals, she grew up watching her dad paint horses and birds – and, as a budding young artist, copied her own favorite animals out of the encyclopedia. (For more on Alison, read our Q&A.)
The animals in her portraits are bursting with personality and a wealth of telling accessories – everything from trucker hats and cigarettes to rubber duckies and biscuits. It’s hard to choose a favorite, but Friend’s “Pizza Lover” is emblematic of her signature style. In it, a dog with a naughty look in their eyes enjoys a hot slice of ‘za – whether they ordered the pie or absconded with it open to interpretation. Friend donated “Pizza Lover” at her debut solo show in Los Angeles in 2024 – it sold for $12,000, benefiting Paws For Life K9 Rescue, one of the beneficiaries of Kismet Cares.
These eight artworks, spanning centuries and styles, are as diverse and thought-provoking as dogs themselves. They not only capture their likeness, but also their spirit, humor, and heart. The next time you visit an art gallery, keep an eye out for the dogs. They’re not just our best friend – they’re also art’s best muse.
Where my dogs at?
