Animals Look up to Old Masters

By Dawn Pedersen · 04/11/2009 ·

On two trips to the Getty Center in Los Angeles last week, I noticed that many paintings there contain animals near the bottom of the composition who serve to redirect the viewer’s eye back up to the focal point. Many of these animals are dogs, but there are also bunnies, pigs, birds, frogs, oxen, demons, lions, dragons, and even guinea pigs. Check out the details in my Flickr photostream: Animals Look up to Old Masters.

Animals Look up to Old Masters

The paintings I photographed at the Getty are as follows (sorry, I failed to get information on four of them):

“A Faun and His Family with a Slain Lion” by Lucas Cranach the Elder. About 1526. A dead lion gazes at his killer.
“A Regatta on the Grand Canal in Honor of Frederick IV King of Denmark” by Luca Carlevarijs. 1711. Stray dogs loiter in the city.
“Allegory” by Luca Giordano. About 1670. A rather handsome lion is crowned in flowers.
“An Elegant Lady Writing at Her Desk with a Dog Beside Her” by Gabriel Metsu. 1665. A dog looks up at his mistress.
“Bathsheba after the Bath” by Jan Steen. About 1665-1670 . A dog looks up at his mistress.
“Captain Ulrich, or Greed Deceived: Disguised Godefroy and His Servant Put Captain Ulrich to Flight” by Cornelis Troost. 1738. An excited spaniel enjoys the action.
“Dance before a Fountain” by Nicolas Lancret. About 1730-1735. A dog is unimpressed by the festivities.
“Portrait of a Boy in a Fancy Dress” by Nicolas de Largilliere. About 1710-1714. A dog looks up at his master.
“Portrait of John Chetwynd Talbot, Later First Earl Talbot” by Pompeo Batoni. 1773. A dog looks up at his master.
“Portrait of John Whetham of Kirklington” by Joseph Wright of Derby. About 1779-1780. A dog looks up at his master.
“Return from War: Mars Disarmed by Venus” by Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel the Elder. About 1610-1612. One guinea pig looks up and one looks at the viewer.
“Saint Francis of Assisi Receiving the Stigmata” by an Italian Master. 1330s. A black bird witnesses a miracle.
“Saint George” by Dosso Dossi. 1513-1515. A dead dragon faces his killer.
“Saint Luke” by Simone Martini. About 1330s. An ox admires a saint.
“The Adoration of the Magi with Saint Anthony Abbot” by a Franco Flemish Master. About 1390-1410. A wee pig adores a Magi.
“The Crucifixion” by The Dreux Bude Master (possibly Andre d’Ypres). 1490s. A demon peers up from the darkness.
“The Miracles of Saint Francis of Paola” by Peter Paul Rubens. About 1627-1628. A dog enjoys witnessing some miracles.
“The Virgin as the Woman of the Apocalypse” by Peter Paul Rubens. About 1623-1624. A multi-headed serpent looks up as it is slain by angel Michael.
“Venus and Adonis” by Simon Vouet. About 1642. I’ve noticed that doves can often be found in images of Venus.
“Venus on the Waters” by Francois Boucher. Doves cuddle below Venus.