Who painted Seated Dog?

Seated Dog was painted by Cornelis Ploos van Amstel in 1777.

Where can I see Seated Dog?

Seated Dog is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Seated Dog?

Seated Dog is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Seated Dog?

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

Artwork

Seated Dog

Cornelis Ploos van Amstel , 1777

Seated Dog is a chalk print by the Romanticist artist Cornelis Ploos van Amstel. It dates from 1777 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:verso along bottom in graphite: Frans.v.Mieris.del.16...Ploos van Amstel.J.C. / F:1777
Markings: Marked:verso: artist's mark (Eusman 7)

About this work

Overview

Seated Dog is a black‑ink print on laid paper executed by the Dutch artist Cornelis Ploos van Amstel in 1777. The work is rendered in a chalk‑manner style, a technique that imitates the appearance of a chalk drawing while employing ink. It presents a single canine figure positioned on a flat plane, oriented toward the left side of the composition.

Subject & Meaning

The composition focuses exclusively on the dog, whose posture is upright and attentive. The animal’s fur is suggested through swift, gestural strokes, and its tail lifts in a gentle curve, conveying a sense of alertness. The sparse background, reduced to faint marks, directs the viewer’s attention wholly onto the animal, emphasizing its form rather than narrative context.

Technique & Style

Ploos van Amstel achieved tonal variation through dense cross‑hatching, employing numerous parallel lines placed closely together to model the texture of the dog’s coat. This method creates a textured surface without relying on elaborate detail, characteristic of the chalk‑manner approach that balances spontaneity with controlled line work.

Context

Created in the late eighteenth century, the print reflects the period’s interest in studies of animal anatomy and the popularity of printmaking as a means of disseminating such studies. As a work by Ploos van Amstel, it aligns with his broader engagement with drawing techniques and the reproduction of drawings in printed form.