SMITHSONIAN AMERICAN ART MUSEUM AND THE RENWICK GALLERY

Animals in Art and At Home

Because at SAAM everything eventually comes back to American art, some of us have been inspired to model our sweet, sassy, bored, annoyed, sleepy, amusing pets after favorite artworks in our collection. We offer them as amusement and inspiration, and as evidence of the creativity and sense of humor we appreciate in each other.

Recreating artworks at home with your pets

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Jessie A. Walker, "Yosa, a Japanese Spaniel," n.d., drypoint, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chicago Society of Etchers, 1935.13.368. Recreation by an SI colleague and their dog, Millie.

Hello from my living room, which is doubling as my office. My beloved—and very vocal—dog, Penelope, is not happy about this arrangement. She does not like this “working” habit, and considers my laptop her competition. We at the Smithsonian American Art Museum have been thinking about what this intersection of home and work means for many people around the world, and how that relates to our work at a museum.

We’re thankful to be able to stay connected, and it seems that each meeting begins or ends with a gentle, “and...how are you doing?”

Often the response mentions a beloved companion animal. An admission that our dog has been a wonderful distraction, or how the cat would appreciate a bit of alone time (or, is surprisingly attentive). As we join a video chat, sometimes a small squawk will interrupt and prompt a flurry of “Ooh, who has a bird? Will you show us?” We're all getting a glimpse into the sometimes secret lives of our colleagues. Pets, yes, but also children who need a little homework help—or a hug—or perhaps a suggestion that someone has a green thumb as evidenced by a collection of houseplants in a corner or a flower-filled bower outside a window.

Because at SAAM everything eventually comes back to American art, some of us have been inspired to model our sweet, sassy, bored, annoyed, sleepy, amusing pets after favorite artworks in our collection. We offer them as amusement and inspiration, and as evidence of the creativity and sense of humor we appreciate in one another.

We hope you enjoy this glimpse into our lives, and we invite you to capture your dog / cat / bird / fish / horse / plant / rock in an homage to a favorite artwork. Tag us on social media with @AmericanArt and #atSAAM.

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Stephen James Ferris, "Musician and Dog," 1893, etching, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the National Museum of American History, Division of Graphic Arts, Smithsonian Institution, 1971.180. Recreation by Kayleigh Bryant-Greenwell.
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Auguste Edouart, "Boy with Dog," n.d., paper and ink on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mrs. Florence R. Perry, 1981.172.31. Recreation by Brian Weiss with Dillon the Dog. Photo credit: Megan Gibson.
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Bill Traylor, "Untitled (Pig with Corkscrew Tail)," ca. 1940, pencil and opaque watercolor on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chuck and Jan Rosenak, 1983.11. Recreation by Mary and Betty Savig.
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Alexander Archipenko, "Torso in Space," 1952-1953, lithograph, color screenprint, and embossing on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1984.87. Recreation by Adam and Lola Rice.
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John Singer Sargent, "Elizabeth Winthrop Chanler (Mrs. John Jay Chapman)," 1893, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Chanler A. Chapman, 1980.71. Recreation by Kate Johnson and her cat, Pepperoni.
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Mabel Wellington Jack, "Young Cat Sleeping," 1937, lithograph on paper mounted on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Transfer from the Evander Childs High School, Bronx, New York through the General Services Administration, 1975.83.58. Recreation by Jess and Mo McFadden.
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Jimmy Tsutomu Mirikitani, "Cat in bamboo, Hiroshima," 2005, mixed media on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase made possible by the Ford Motor Company, 2008.32.1. Recreation by Anna and Bailey Rimel.
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J. Alden Weir, "Portrait of a Lady with a Dog (Anna Baker Weir)," ca. 1890, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mahonri Sharp Young, 1977.92. Recreation by Davida Fernandez-Barkan.
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Percy Moran, "Young Girl and Dog," 1890, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Bequest of Alfred Duane Pell, 1939.4.1. Recreation by Ariel and Chloe O’Connor.
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Louis Bouche, "Woman and Dog," 1920, drypoint on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Museum purchase, 1972.142. Recreation by Ryan and Sophia Linthicum.

We hope you enjoyed this glimpse into our lives, and we invite you to capture your dog / cat / bird / fish / horse / plant / rock in an homage to a favorite artwork. Tag us on social media with @AmericanArt and #atSAAM.

In addition to Amy Fox, Jessica McFadden, Luce Foundation Center Program Specialist, contributed to this blog post.