Dog Art Today

Elizabeth Crowell and her Dog by Thomas Eakins

Written by

Moira McLaughlin

in

Elizabeth_Crowell_with_a_Dog_Thomas_Eakins

Elizabeth Crowell and her Dog by Thomas Eakins, 1873-74

Thomas Eakins (1844 – 1916) was a renowned painter, sculptor, and photographer known for depicting his fellow Philadelphians.

This week, Dog Art Today will look at great works of dog art in the city of Philadelphia.  For some reason, the city keeps popping up on my radar.  Feel free to leave me any tips in the comments section.

P.S. You may remember The Artist’s Wife and his Setter Dog by Thomas Eakins, I featured last November.  I think I like this painting of Elizabeth Crowell and her dog better.  It’s the red.

 

Comments

5 responses to “Elizabeth Crowell and her Dog by Thomas Eakins”

  1. Pets Adviser Avatar
    Pets Adviser

    Definitely a fine piece of art. However, it’s my understanding that the name of the painting is “Elizabeth Crowell With Her Dog.” The beauty of this work is that we see this still, concentrated moment right before we know she’s going to give a command to the dog that he can eat that treat that’s balancing so carefully on the tip of its snout. What’s powerful is the very subtlety of the moment.

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  2. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    Yes. I agree that it’s in the red. And the gorgeous light — or lack thereof. Thank you for bringing this beautiful painting to our attention!

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  3. nancy Avatar
    nancy

    This is the first time it occurred to me that the darkness of pre-20th century paintings might be due to the lack of light in interior environments. After the Impressionists, bright color came to painting, and as we all know, they were all about light. When interiors were illuminated by kerosene lamps and small windows, it’s little wonder that the lighting is so dim- can hardly see the dog.
    BTW, is that Darby in this painting?

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  4. Evelyn Morris Hecht Avatar
    Evelyn Morris Hecht

    This is Darby and Moira in a past life :>)
    I also am partial to art with some red/scarlet in it.
    Thanks for sharing the beauty.

    Reply
  5. Lori S. Avatar
    Lori S.

    The red and the intense look on her face. The eccentricity, in a more formal time, of dropping down when about to leave or just coming in from outside, dropping her books, throwing her coat on the side table, still wearing her hat, and interacting with her dog. She looks … hmmm, finding the right words is hard – very much an individual, not so concerned with how she appears to other humans, so different for a woman of that time. And with that slightly nutty look of someone very attached to animals, well, the look I see so often in the mirror if I bother to check. But also just a bit off-putting, like this interaction with her dog is more about control than affection. Well, I do go on – there is something about this picture that just grabs me.

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