Portrait of the Dog Phoebus 1884
willemwitsen
pencil drawn
photo of handprinted image
shape in negative space
light pencil work
natural tone
pencil sketch
light coloured
dog
pencil drawing
remaining negative space
positive shape
"Portrait of the Dog Phoebus" is a watercolor painting created in 1884 by Dutch artist Willem Witsen. The painting, now in the Rijksmuseum, depicts a small, white dog, possibly a Yorkshire Terrier, sitting against a dark background. The dog, Phoebus, has a serious expression and sits on a reddish rug. Witsen was known for his naturalistic style, and this painting demonstrates his skill in depicting the textures and details of animal fur. This intimate portrait reflects his interest in portraying everyday subjects with sensitivity and realism.
Comments
Willem Witsen made this watercolour in 1884, his last year as a student at the Amsterdam Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten. The young artist was then already a superb watercolourist. He painstakingly drew the fine hairs in front of the dog’s eyes, cleverly taking advantage of the white of the paper. The sitter is a little dog, and an old one judging from its right eye, which shows signs of cataracts.
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