Caesar at the Rubicon by Wilhelm Trübner - 1878 - 48.5 × 61.5 cm Österreichische Galerie Belvedere Caesar at the Rubicon by Wilhelm Trübner - 1878 - 48.5 × 61.5 cm Österreichische Galerie Belvedere

Caesar at the Rubicon

Oil on canvas • 48.5 × 61.5 cm
  • Wilhelm Trübner - February 3, 1851 - December 21, 1917 Wilhelm Trübner 1878

Today is a special day for all animal lovers: International Dog Day! Enjoy it with our glorious Caesar.  :)

The painting's title immediately conveys the moment's drama. Caesar at the Rubicon refers to the Roman leader who, in 49 BC, crossed the northern Italian Rubicon river with his army and marched toward Rome to defeat his rival, Pompey. From that story, we use the idiom "crossing the Rubicon," which means passing a point of no return and a significant test or challenge. Wilhelm Trübner, associated with the Munich painters' circle around Wilhelm Leibl, adapted this concept to a still life featuring a dog. He tests the obedience of his mastiff, named Caesar, by placing a tempting sausage directly in front of the dog's snout.

Do you think he passed the Rubicon and ate the sausage?  :)

P.S. Do you know that in our Animals 50 Postcards Set you can find other depictions of dogs in art?  I must warn you, though ... there's cuteness overload!  (They're also on sale now!)

P.P.S. Many famous artists were dog lovers, including contemporary ones. Discover the amazing portrayals of dogs in modern art! For more canine art, see the articles below.