Untitled (dog sitting on mat) c. 1950

Editor: This is an untitled photograph by John Howell of a dog sitting on a mat. It's a small print, roughly 4x5 inches. I'm struck by the formality of it; it feels like a studio portrait. What do you see in this piece? Curator: I notice how the image plays into the social construction of pets and domesticity. Consider the history of dog portraiture – it often reflects a desire to elevate the status of the animal, imbuing it with human-like qualities. Do you see this here? Editor: I do. It feels posed, almost staged, like a little person. Curator: Exactly. It raises questions about how we project our values onto animals and the politics of representation within that relationship. Thank you, I'll be thinking about this one more.