Collector's Notes, Featured Works
Loyal Companions: Dogs in Art and Why We Love Them
A timeless muse
Wherever you find people, you usually find dogs. They sit at our feet, race across fields, curl up by the fire, and, of course, slip into our art. Painters can’t seem to resist them, and who can blame them? A dog in a picture has a way of pulling you in, giving a scene heart and character.
More than decoration
Dogs in paintings have always meant more than fur and wagging tails. In Renaissance portraits, a little lapdog at a bride’s feet was shorthand for loyalty. In Venice, Titian tucked a sleepy dog into the corner of his Venus of Urbino to whisper constancy in love. And centuries later, William Hogarth painted himself with his pug “Trump,” using the animal as a cheeky reflection of his own character. These weren’t background details, they were signals, telling us something about the people who lived with them.
That sense of meaning carries into works like our Collie Dog with Kittens, a Victorian painting where a farm dog becomes a gentle guardian. It reflects the 19th-century shift towards seeing pets as part of family life, painted with tenderness as well as skill.
Collie Dog with Kittens (Victorian)
View here
This piece captures the Victorian affection for animals in the home. The collie isn’t just a worker in the field; here he becomes a gentle guardian, even to kittens. It echoes the era’s growing sentimentality around pets and family life.
From Hearths to Fields
As we move into the early 20th century, dog portraits gained pride of place in their own right. The Springer Spaniel Portrait, dated 1920, is a perfect example. Handsome, alert, and painted with warmth in its eyes, it shows how animals were honoured on canvas just as much as their owners.
At the same time, artists also celebrated dogs in action. Our Spaniels Chasing Through Reed Beds is full of energy, capturing the rhythm of the sporting countryside. It’s not just about the dogs themselves, but about the traditions they were part of, the thrill of the chase, the bond between field and home.
Spaniels Chasing Through Reed Beds
View here
This sporting scene speaks to Britain’s countryside heritage. Spaniels in full flight, painted with energy and movement, reflect not just the dogs themselves but the sporting traditions they were part of.
Why they still work today
What makes dog paintings so appealing now is their versatility. A lively terrier sketch can bring charm to a hallway. A noble hound can anchor a study. A tender family scene can warm a living room. And for interior designers, they’re an easy way to add personality, something timeless yet playful.
The Jack Russell Oil Painting in our collection captures exactly that quality. Small in scale but big in spirit, it’s the kind of piece that makes a space feel lived-in and full of character.
Jack Russell Oil Painting
View here
A characterful little dog with bags of personality. Terriers like this are exactly what John Emms made famous — wiry, lively, and painted with real affection. A painting like this brings instant charm and energy to a space.
The Loyal Companions Collection
Our Loyal Companions collection brings together everything we love about dogs in art: loyalty, wit, devotion, and a touch of humour. These aren’t just pictures of animals, they’re stories of companionship. Perfect reminders of the bond we still cherish today.
So whether you’re a lifelong dog lover, someone searching for the perfect one-off piece, or a designer looking for a painting that will make a room sing, we’d encourage you to take a look. After all, once you’ve lived with a dog, painted or otherwise, it’s hard to imagine life without one.
If you would like to see more beautiful pieces please click Here to view our full collection of our ‘Loyal Companions’ pieces.
