The Dog's Gaze : A Visual History

Thomas W. Laqueur

ISBN 10: 0241729084 / ISBN 13: 9780241729083

Published by Penguin Books Ltd Mai 2026, 2026

About this Item

Neuware - What do dogs do in art A dazzlingly original cultural history from the Cundill Prize-winning historian Long before the phrase 'man's best friend' became common parlance, dogs were already standing beside us in art as in life. In The Dog's Gaze, the historian Thomas W. Laqueur invites us to explore why they feature more than any other animal in the ways in which we picture ourselves and our stories.Dogs have been ubiquitous in the worldmaking of visual artists as far back as the Palaeolithic age. Looking across the western tradition, from Giotto to Goya and Rubens to Rego, Laqueur shows what their presence - as hunting partners, beloved friends and even conduits to the afterlife - reveals about our own ways of seeing and how we want to be remembered. Far from being mere motifs, dogs are an integral and intentional element of the images in which they appear: they provide narrative coherence; they look out and bear witness, often on the artist's behalf; they illuminate our understanding of morality and melancholy and some, like us, become celebrities. Indeed, as the author shows, dogs in art are our social doppelgängers, our companions in looking and being.Richly illustrated and lovingly written, The Dog's Gaze is a unique visual history that examines the shared social history of our two species and offers fresh insights into the human condition through the eyes of our canine companions.

Seller Inventory # 9780241729083

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Dog's Gaze : A Visual History
• Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd Mai 2026
• Publication Date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0241729084
• ISBN 13: 9780241729083
• Binding: Buch
• Condition: Neu
• Dimensions: 238W x 156H x 35D millimeters 238 millimeters width by 156 millimeters height by 35 millimeters depth
• Weight: 918 grams

About this title

Synopsis

What do dogs do in art?

Long before the phrase ‘man’s best friend’ became common parlance, dogs were already standing beside us in art as in life. In The Dog’s Gaze, the historian Thomas W. Laqueur invites us to explore why they feature more than any other animal in the ways in which we picture ourselves and our stories.

Dogs have been ubiquitous in the worldmaking of visual artists as far back as the Palaeolithic age. Looking across the western tradition, from Giotto to Goya and Rubens to Rego, Laqueur shows what their presence – as hunting partners, beloved friends and even conduits to the afterlife – reveals about our own ways of seeing and how we want to be remembered. Far from being mere motifs, dogs are an integral and intentional element of the images in which they they provide narrative coherence; they look out and bear witness, often on the artist’s behalf; they illuminate our understanding of morality and melancholy and some, like us, become celebrities. Indeed, as the author shows, dogs in art are our social doppelgängers, our companions in looking and being.

Richly illustrated and lovingly written, The Dog’s Gaze is a unique visual history that examines the shared social history of our two species and offers fresh insights into the human condition through the eyes of our canine companions.