What Will People Think If You Hang Large Pet Portraits On Your Walls?
A large (42” x 25” inch) framed canvas portrait of my little family, which hangs above my fireplace and makes me so happy! From the left, Lindsay the satin hen, Delgado the very naughty Chihuahua, Shazam! the formerly feral barn cat who now sleeps in our bed, Iris the sweet and neurotic Chinese Crested, and Judy the Cochin rooster.
This is something I run into frequently in my work as a pet photographer. People WANT large artwork of their beloved pets to decorate their walls, but they worry, “What will people think?”.
So here’s the truth: SOME people will think you’re crazy. Yup. But you know what? Those same people ALREADY think you’re crazy for feeding a raw or homemade diet, for spending your weekends driving to agility trials, for spending several hundred dollars on a dog crate, or a bejewelled collar. Let’s not even get started on the vet bills, amiright?
Who CARES what those people think? They are not our people. They do not bring the kind of joy into your life that your dog (or horse, or cat) does.
Decorating living spaces with images of pets is a tradition that can be traced back to cave art at least 8000-9000 years ago, when depictions began showing leashed dogs, indicating that they were domestic pets and not wild dogs or wolves. The Ancient Greeks and Romans both frequently depicted dogs in art and sculpture, and the Ancient Egyptians honoured domestic cats in their art, as well.
Modern pet portraiture has its roots in the aristocracy - specifically Queen Elizabeth I, who commissioned portraits of her dogs. She started a trend that has only become more popular since the introduction of photography during the Victorian Era made portraiture of all kinds more widely accessible. Of course, more recently, Queen Elizabeth II continued the tradition and famously included her beloved corgis in many royal portraits, both photographic and painted.
A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to stay a few nights in a castle in Ireland. A portrait of a dog was one of the first things a visitor would encounter upon entering the lobby. It makes perfect sense - images of dogs, in particular, make people feel relaxed and inspire trust, so an antique dog portrait is the perfect welcoming decor for the entrance to a luxury hotel.
Some of the companion animals featured in portraits in Kilronan Castle, Ireland.
As far as I can tell from my admittedly shallow research, all of the portraits that hang in the castle are artworks that used to be on display there and were auctioned off before the castle fell into ruin. They were bought back from various private collections when the castle was restored. Victorian Era photos on the castle’s website also show family members with their dogs.
“The moments that Tracy is able to capture with her camera are as real as the animals themselves. One of my dogs is convinced that I am keeping Golden Retrievers trapped on canvas just to spite her. She keeps trying to play with the dogs in the “new windows” in the living room. She’s even gone so far as trying to lick their noses.
If you want to keep your pets forever, portraits with Tracy are a great way to do it.
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Photo courtesy of the family.
As a child, my family often visited the Simcoe County Museum near our cottage in Ontario. I still remember a portrait there, showing the Lieutenant Governor’s wife with her dogs, Tiny, Tay, and Flos. The three townships that made up Simcoe County were named after those dogs! My family’s summer cottage was in Tiny Township, and I loved knowing that it was named for a dog. (In my memory, they were Pekingese, but it turns out they were Cavalier King Charles Spaniels). At any rate, she was obviously someone who was unabashedly crazy about her dogs!
Looking at our pets can lower blood pressure and release “happy hormones” like oxytocin, while reducing stress hormones like cortisol. Looking at their portraits has the same effect! Pet portraits are, quite literally, good for your physical and mental health.
The same goes for colour, by the way. If you are not a “greige” person, don’t surround yourself in neutral (boring!) colours. Your home does not have to look staged for sale unless it is actually staged for sale! It should be filled with the colours, art and objects that bring you joy. You can worry about neutrals and minimalism when you list your home for sale - until then, enjoy it!
At any rate, you can rest assured that if you feel like you would love to have a large portrait of your furry family hanging on your wall, you are in very good company, and there is plenty of historical precedent for your choice. You’re not crazy. Hanging soulless, mass-produced artwork from a big box store when you could have meaningful portraits that make you smile every time you look at them - that’s crazy!
Ready to start planning an epic pet portrait that you’ll be thrilled to display in your home?
A fur (and feather) family portrait from a few years ago that hangs in my office. Since several of these pets have since crossed the Rainbow Bridge, it is even more priceless to me now. I got the awesome antique gold frame at an auction and printed the canvas in a custom size to fit the frame.
