Studies van een hond 1780 - 1855

Jan Dasveldt made these drawings, Studies van een hond, capturing the essence of canine form and behavior. The dog, often seen as a symbol of loyalty and vigilance, appears here in various states: playful, resting, and alert. The image of a dog has long carried symbolic weight. In ancient Greece, the dog was associated with Hecate, goddess of magic, and served as a guardian of both the domestic and the wild. Further back, in Egyptian culture, the jackal-headed god Anubis guided souls to the afterlife, an early example of dogs' deep, subconscious connection to protection and guidance. The dog, in its various depictions, evolves from guardian of the underworld to faithful companion, mirroring humanity’s changing relationship with nature and the shifting roles animals play in our collective psyche. This drawing reminds us of how animals enter our cultural memory, forever imprinted in our artistic expressions.