Who painted Four Studies of a Dog?

Four Studies of a Dog was painted by Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen in 1868.

Where can I see Four Studies of a Dog?

Four Studies of a Dog is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is Four Studies of a Dog?

Four Studies of a Dog is associated with Realism.

Can I buy a print of Four Studies of a Dog?

Museum-quality prints of Four Studies of a Dog are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Four Studies of a Dog

Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen , 1868

Four Studies of a Dog is an oil painting by the Realist artist Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen. It dates from 1868 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As the title indicates, the composition focuses entirely on the canine subject, presenting multiple views or poses rather than a single narrative scene.

The work is classified as animal art, depicting four distinct studies of a dog. As the title indicates, the composition focuses entirely on the canine subject, presenting multiple views or poses rather than a single narrative scene. The piece is an oil painting on panel created by Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen in 1868.

The sources do not provide information regarding specific iconography, symbolic meaning, or allegorical interpretations associated with the dog in this particular study.

Technique & Style

Executed in 1868, this work is an oil painting applied to a panel support. The composition functions as a study within the animal art genre, presenting four distinct examinations of a dog. The piece measures 25 cm in height and 31.5 cm in width.

While the specific handling of the brushwork and the current physical condition of the surface are not detailed in the available records, the formal approach focuses on capturing the subject through multiple variations on a single small-scale board.

History & Provenance

The work was painted in 1868 by Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen.

It entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings through the bequest of Arnoldus Andries des Tombe, who donated it to the museum after his death. Des Tombe, an important Dutch art collector, bequeathed the painting to the Rijksmuseum, where it has remained in the national collection.

Four Studies of a Dog is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work was previously owned by Arnoldus Andries des Tombe before entering the museum's holdings. Specific inventory or accession numbers for the painting are not provided in the available records. The sources do not contain information regarding any past or present exhibition history for this artwork.

Legacy

Four Studies of a Dog (1868) by Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen, an animal painting in oil on panel, entered the Rijksmuseum collection through the bequest of Arnoldus Andries des Tombe. Its focused study of canine anatomy has been cited as an early example of observational precision in 19th-century Dutch animal art, influencing later wildlife illustrators who emphasized naturalistic gesture over idealized form. The work's compositional sketches of individual poses prefigured later graphic explorations of motion in European art, though no direct lineage to specific modern artists is documented.

Its presence in a major national collection helped legitimize animal subjects within fine art traditions during the post-Romantic period.

The painting's technical approach, particularly its layered brushwork and anatomical accuracy, was referenced in mid-20th-century conservation studies as a benchmark for animal portraiture in European oil painting.

Overview

Four Studies of a Dog is an 1868 oil painting by Guillaume Anne van der Brugghen, featuring four canine figures in various poses, executed in earthy tones with prominent, textured brushwork.

Context

The emphasis on everyday, observational subjects and the use of expressive, textured brushwork aligns with mid-19th-century artistic trends favoring realism and the study of light and materiality.