Dog Art Today

Peggy Guggenheim: Dog, Art Lover

Peggy Guggenheim with her dogs on the roof of her Venetian palazzo by David Seymour, 1950

Sixty-seven years ago this week Peggy Guggenheim opened her gallery Art of this Century and brought together the avant-garde stars of war-torn Europe (Brancusi, Picasso, Kandinsky, Chagall, Mondrian, Duchamp, Picabia, Dali, Braque, Magritte, Dali) with the emerging artists of America (Pollock, Motherwell, de Kooning, Rothko).  With the her gallery's launch she changed the course of Western art forever.  Peggy loved fame, art, sex, penny pinching, and dogs.  Today's post is dedicated to Peggy and her beloved Lhasa Apsos.

Benita and Peggy Guggenheim with Twinkle (not a Lhasa Apso) at the Third Annual Dog Show of the Westchester Kennel Club at Gedney Farms, 1919.

The Grand Canal entrance to her Palazzo Venier dei Leoni, during the exhibition of contemporary sculpture with which opened her new home to the public for the first time, September 1949.  Via Frey Lhasa Apso Kennel.

Anton Gill biographies.  Read good review of one here.

At her Venice palazzo, 1961

The plaque at her Venice palazzo where her fourteen dogs are buried.  Peggy is buried beside them.

Georgia O'Keefe's Dog

Georgia O'Keefe and her Chow, Jingo

Did you watch "Georgia O'Keefe" on Lifetime this weekend?  They are replaying it on Tuesday, September 22 at 9, if you want to catch it.  I thought it was good, not great.  But given I knew almost nothing about O'Keefe's life, it was interesting to me as a primer.  The LA Times liked it.  The Boston Globe did not, especially since they left out some of the more salacious material. 

Of course, I am indignant that there were no dogs, since she had many throughout her life.   And anyone who reads this blog knows that dogs were integral in of the lives of some of the greatest artists of the 20th Century.  In fact, I found this 1973 Albuquerque Tribune article by Ralph Looney who notes that O'Keefe, who was 85 at the time of the interview, " is raising her sixth dog, a red Chow.  'Jingo's a year and five months old now,' she said.  'It seems to be my mission in life to wait on a dog.'  (She is also fascinated by the Watergate hearings at the time and has some choice words for welfare recipients.) 

Georgia O'Keefe and her Chow by John Loengard

The movie made O'Keefe look stoic, isolated, and lonely in her later years, when they were actually brimming with dog love.  I would have liked to have seen that.  If you know a good biography on her, please let me know. 

P.S. One of my favorite scenes was her cooking lunch and pouring herself tea as if in a Japanese ceremony.  I found this wonderful photo of her at Vegetarian Perspective, which is a great blog, BTW.

Georgia O'Keefe cooking

If you know who took this photo, leave word in the comments section.

A Friend in Need Reinterpreted

Thursday Night Book Club by Mark Sowa

I've often thought C.M. Coolidge's "A Friend in Need" was ripe for parody.  That's why I got a kick out of Mark Sowa's reinterpretation of it entitled "Thursday night Book Club" or "Dogs Reading Books."

Mark says his version was inspired by thinking "about friends gathered together, and what better iconic image to use than 'A Friend In Need' by C.M. Coolidge?  Although the classic original is instantly recognizable, people usually know it as simply 'Dogs Playing Poker', and hardly anyone knows who the artist is.  Our interpretation pays homage to Mr. Coolidge, while at the same time 'uplifting' the casual pursuits of its participants.  What could be more politically correct?"

He's right.  No smoking, drinking, gambling, or cheating.  But still lots of fun.

Mark's version is available at his Owl Square Press which specializes in bookish prints.  I think he has a new future in bookish dog prints too.

And here's the original (available at Amazon ) for comparison:

A Friend in Need by C. M. Coolidge

Classic!

Czechoslovakian Scottie Matchbox Label

Another dog makes an appearance in Maraid's outstanding flickr matchbox label collection.  This Czech beauty reads, "Remember - safety-matches don't belong in children's hands." 

I thought this was a good fit for Back to School Day in Nevada County today.  I always loved going back to school.  But glad I'm not in class this morning.  I am having a hard time putting two words together.  I am going to try some right-brain stuff and see how that goes.

P.S. View my matchbox label t-shirts from Maraid's collection at my store.

Vintage Dachshund Postcard

This vintage German postcard combines two of my loves: Dachshunds and stripes.  It also captures my mood this morning as I hit the ground running.  I am getting ready to head to Boston for my 20th college reunion at Boston College.  And we are in the final stretch of the Dog Art Today-Mutt Lynch Winery Wine Label Contest.  The deadline to submit your art is June 12.  Click here for contest the details.

Hat tip to Marilyn of the fabulous Nag on the Lake for sending me this Doxie link at another great blog, Recovering Lazyholic.  Stop by for more Wiener fun and a 12 step program for lazyheads.

L. S. Lowry's Dog Art Stars at Christie's

A Market Place, Berwick-upon-Tweed by Laurence Stephen Lowry, 1935

Laurence Stephen Lowry's 1935 painting, A Market Place, Berwick-upon-Tweed graces the cover of Christie's catalogue of its 20th Century British Art Auction to be held in London this Thursday, May 21.  This charming painting of England's northernmost town features the bustling market place and three dogs.   It is estimated to sell for $454,200 - $757,000.

Beside the fact dogs are making an appearance in the star of the show, there is also a pay-it-forward aspect to the painting if it sells.  The work was originally purchased 64 years ago for less than $75 by Henry Morris, who was chief education officer of Cambridgeshire County Council.  The painting has been a part of the Cambridgeshire Schools' Art Collection since them.  Now, the proceeds from the sale will fund and safeguard the future of the city's cultural programs.  How civilized!

Via Berwick Journal Live.  Visit Christie's for more information.

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Romare Bearden's Dogs

Close up of The Block by Romare Bearden, 1971

Whenever I begin a new collage, I always pull the book The Art of Romare Bearden off my shelf and take another look at his work.  I think Bearden (1911 - 1988) is one of the greatest collage artists of all time and I always discover something new in his work.  This time I found some dogs.  They were right there in his masterpiece The Block, a 6 panel collage that spans 18 feet (longer than a city bus) and depicts life on a block in Harlem, NY in 1971.

First half of The Block, 1971



 
Second half of The Block, 1971

I also discovered an excellent interactive experience from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's a guided tour of The Block geared towards children, but just as enjoyable for anyone interested in Bearden's work.  I have watched it several times. 

Order the book The Art of Romare Bearden here.   And order the CD Romare Bearden Revealed from the Branford Marsalis Quartet, a compilation of the Jazz that inspired Bearden's work.

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Pierre Bonnard: The Late Interiors

The Dessert, 1940

Pierre Bonnard: The Late Interiors opened at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC on Tuesday.  Longtime Dog Art Today readers know Bonnard is one of my favorite painters.  I love his use of color, negative space, and his interest in Japanese art.  But most of all I love when his beloved brown Dachshund makes an appearance in his paintings.

I imagine the Met's exhibition of Bonnard's drawings, paintings, and watercolors from 1923-1947 filled with Doxie works I have never seen before like The Dessert (above).  It would be thrilling to see them in person, but it doesn't look like that's going to happen so I have been searching for new discoveries online.

I have yet to find a comprehensive review of the show, but Twitterer and recovering art director, David Ross, Tweets, "Late Bonnard at the Met equal to a walk on a sunny spring day. Quite a treat."   Sounds lovely.

If anyone goes and finds more dogs let me know.  I collected many of them here.  Read more about Bonnard's late interiors at ArtDaily.  Information at the Met's website.  The exhibit runs until April 19, 2009.

P.S.  Doesn't The Dessert remind you of this David Douglas Duncan photo of Picasso and Lump, the little brown Doxie at his master's elbow...

Related links:
Pierre Bonnard's Dachshunds
Bonnard's Dog Art Still Needs a Home