Liggende en een lopende hond 1722 - 1792

Curator: This is "Liggende en een lopende hond," or "Reclining and a Running Dog," a pen, ink, and watercolor drawing on paper, likely from between 1722 and 1792. The artist is Francesco Guardi. It resides here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: What strikes me first is the sketch-like quality—the immediacy. It feels like Guardi captured a fleeting moment, almost like he jotted down these dogs as an aside during a busy day. Curator: Precisely. Guardi, though known for his Venetian landscapes, was also keen on recording everyday life. Drawings like these give insight into the more informal aspects of his practice. They speak to art’s function in noting details of society and locale, though the use of tonal variety through watercolour adds interest and elevates them. Editor: I love the contrast between the two dogs—the languid, relaxed posture of the reclining one versus the wiry energy of the dog in motion. The reclining dog is painted with soft watercolour; it has a sense of weight and substance while the other one seems ready to bounce off the page. They almost seem like stand-ins for different energies in Venice itself: one serene, the other restless. Curator: The social context is interesting too. Dogs in art often represented fidelity and status, so such works would serve as displays of culture for aristocratic people. However, these are not heroic paintings of hunting dogs but gentle snapshots. You could find art of this kind among his genre painting. Editor: Genre painting - Yes, that’s right. It almost feels like he's hinting at a story, maybe one the viewer is free to imagine for themselves. Like they caught Guardi daydreaming of the perfect sunny afternoon in Italy with a sketchbook in his hands and two faithful friends laying around! Curator: It's fascinating how these informal drawings create space for intimacy and offer a connection to the past. I enjoy the Rococo playfulness of this genre in conjunction with art as evidence and document. Editor: Indeed. I guess there's beauty in capturing even the most seemingly mundane things; that is after all, what helps art last through the ages.