This is a wonderful overview of the remarkable range of dog portraits—there are no human sitters—produced over the last 250 years. It features well-known works such as Rosa Bonheur’s Brizo, (one of the best-loved portraits in The Wallace Collection), George Stubbs’ Turk, Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of his two dogs Tristram and Fox, Lucian Freud’s oil painting of Pluto, his pet whippet, and David Hockney’s dachshunds Stanley and Boodgie. 

Over 50 works, arranged by theme, are drawn from major British collections, including the Royal Collection, the V & A, Tate Britain, the British Museum, and a wealth of regional museums and private collections. In addition there are memorabilia and souvenirs, including bronzes, photos, brooches, Fabergé works, and even stuffed dogs, many relating to the British royals, especially Queen Victoria and her children.