A Dog Howling at the Moon

Today is Blue Monday, a term coined in the early 2000s to describe the “saddest day of the year,” usually the third Monday in January. It’s based on a pseudoscientific formula linking bad weather, post-holiday fatigue, and financial stress. Though experts agree it’s not scientifically valid, why not use this occasion to show some amazing blue artwork today?  :)

Philipp Otto Runge’s Dog Howling at the Moon is a delicate white paper cutout on blue paper, a medium in which the German Romantic artist excelled. Held today in the Kupferstichkabinett of the Hamburger Kunsthalle, this small but striking work reveals Runge’s fascination with the symbolic language of nature and the nocturnal world. The silhouette of a dog howling toward a glowing moon captures the Romantic longing for the infinite, the mysterious, and the transcendent. Rendered with amazing precision, the cutout transforms a simple motif into a poetic reflection on solitude, instinct, and the pull of the unknown. Created during the same period as Runge’s most visionary works, it distills the essence of German Romanticism into a single, quietly haunting image.

Have a happy Monday.  :)

P.S. See how other artists represented animals in art across time in our Animals 50 Postcards Set. They're perfect to send greetings to a friend.  :)

P.P.S. Did you know colors represent different emotions in art? Discover the fascinating world of color psychology!