About Me

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Washington, United States
loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !

Sunday, April 06, 2014

a dog naps, a cat plots

PD courtesy the rijksmuseum
http://hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.298752
Here's a drawing circa 1892 by the master of the pet portrait, Henriette Ronner-Knip (Dutch, 1821-1909).  The guard dog, on a far too short chain for my liking, sleeps while the wild birds partake from his dish.  But who might seize that opportunity?  Well, let's see. . .



This guy, that's who.
Look out, birds!  And don't you forget to take this to heart yourself.  I cannot help but think Ronner-Knip intended this as a gentle lesson; the genre painters of the 19th c. never could let a chance at moralizing go by.

3 comments:

Katnip Lounge said...

You can just see the wheels turning.

curator said...

Hi Katnip Lounge! Been way too long since I came by and said hello to you all.

Unknown said...

i love this.. don't like the chain but love the artwork! I'm a pet portrait artist and primarily work in pencil www.artbydebbie.com