a dog, circa 1800

yale center for british art, paul mellon collection. PD

British naturalist and illustrator James Sowerby (1757-1822; check out his goofy and adorable walruses) might have been using this paper for some other notes or doodles, but what he ended up with was one enthusiastic wire-haired dog.  Sowerby was known for the spirit of scientific inquiry he brought to his illustrations, but here he's simply illustrating the momentary joy of a friend.