Cassius Marcellus Coolidge
Today we celebrate International Dog Day! If you are a dog lover, don't miss our collection of Dogs in Art! :)
Today's painting belongs to a group known as Dogs Playing Poker that includes a series of 16 oil paintings commissioned by the advertising firm Brown & Bigelow to promote cigars, and other paintings with this subject created by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, the American painter and illustrator. Altogether, these works depict anthropomorphized dogs (typically larger breeds like collies, Great Danes, St. Bernards, and mastiffs) engaging in various human activities, most famously playing poker or baseball. In today's painting, the dogs are dressed and posed like upper-middle-class professionals, such as lawyers or businessmen, with cigars and drinks. The scenes are often set under ceiling lamps, with the dogs lounging in leather chairs, creating a familiar and absurd atmosphere. Some perceive these images as the icons of kitsch. For me, they are just funny.
P.S. Discover Coolidge's other dog paintings! If you are hungry for more four-legged companions, here are the best dogs in modern art!
P.P.S. If you're ready for even more cuteness, check out our Animals 50 Postcards Set, where you will find more adorable dogs - now on sale!