Artwork
Dog and Cat
Dog and Cat is an ink print by the Baroque artist Karel Dujardin. It dates from 1650 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Dog and Cat is an early print by Dutch artist Karel Dujardin, executed as an etching on laid paper around 1650. The work presents two domestic animals positioned side by side, rendered in a compact composition that emphasizes their contrasting postures.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a cat curled inward, its head tucked against its forepaws, while a dog lies stretched out nearby. The juxtaposition of the feline’s compactness with the canine’s elongated form invites a quiet comparison of the creatures’ differing temperaments.
Technique & Style
Dujardin employed a fine, scratchy line to incise the figures and the dark, textured background, creating a sense of movement within the static medium. The rough, storm‑like sky rendered in dense cross‑hatching heightens the atmospheric tension surrounding the animals.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑17th century, the etching reflects Dujardin’s early interest in genre scenes and animal studies. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work survives in several museum collections, attesting to its continued relevance as an example of Dutch printmaking of the period.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
