Gredinet, Petite Fille and Charlotte, three spaniels from Lou 1727

Jean-Baptiste Oudry created this artwork in oil paint, a medium that lends itself to capturing the textures and nuances of the natural world, albeit one carefully curated. Consider the landscape, rendered with an eye to pastoral beauty, and the dogs themselves: Gredinet, Petite Fille, and Charlotte. Oudry meticulously layers the paint to depict their fur and musculature. It is this attention to detail which elevates what might have been a simple animal portrait to the realm of fine art. Oudry's skill lies not only in capturing likeness but in conveying a sense of vitality. However, it’s important to think about the circumstances of the painting. Dogs like these were valuable working animals, but also status symbols. Oudry's painting is a celebration of the hunt, a pastime of the aristocracy. The labour involved – both Oudry's in producing the painting and the dogs' in performing their duties – is rendered invisible. Ultimately, the painting serves as a reminder that art is always embedded in its social and economic context.