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Pets in Historical Images
- Monika Echeverria
- Apr 6
- 2 min read
Last month, I visited an art exhibition at the MASP in São Paulo, featuring works from all over the world. Moving from piece to piece—somewhere between a Monet and a Picasso—I found myself captivated by the presence of pets in historical images displayed throughout the gallery.
It struck me as the perfect starting point to talk about the history of dogs in art. They’ve been by our side since prehistoric times, appearing in records from about 6,000 years ago. You read that right: 6,000 years! While digital portraits are a modern phenomenon, rest assured there have always been people as "crazy" about their pets as we are, using images to immortalize them forever.
Among the things I discovered, I came across canines in Paleolithic cave art; these drawings were the way ancient civilizations documented their daily lives.
You can also read: Early pet photography
The first Pets in Historical Images
I’d love to discuss every single artwork featuring animals, but I’m afraid I’d never stop! As far back as Ancient Greece, Greyhounds and Maltese dogs were depicted in sculptures, and there are relief murals showcasing their presence.
As centuries passed, dogs began appearing as "props" in paintings—sometimes as a casual part of a family’s routine, and other times as a symbol of social status for their owners.
The sheer amount of dog-related art is infinite! There is even a Museum of the Dog entirely dedicated to our canine companions.
And Now: Photography!
Since the birth of the first cameras in 1839, the leap to pets was quick. The first dog ever photographed was captured via daguerreotype in 1850 by an unknown author.
Among the great collectors of dog photography is Libby Hall, an English photographer who owned the largest private collection of canine photos dating from the 19th century to the first half of the 20th. Her collection highlights how these pets have always been an integral part of human life. These photos were donated to the Bishopsgate Institute. Watching the video of her collected works truly gave me goosebumps!
In the past, photography was a luxury reserved for the wealthy. Today, even though anyone can have a smartphone camera in hand, commissioning a professional photographer remains a luxury for those who crave a well-crafted, high-quality portrait. Regardless, no social class can separate the affection that an image conveys, no matter the medium used to capture it.
"The dog is so firmly rooted in human society that it will never be lost, and as long as dog and man continue to walk the same path together, the artist will continue to immortalize them in painting and sculpture for centuries to come."
...And now, in photography as well.
Te gustaría saber más de historia con fotografía de mascotas? Este artículo te puede interesar: Orígenes históricos de los memes de gatos y su ligación con el feminismo
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