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For more than 5000 years, artists have created an extraordinary array of captivating images of the dog – the animal that has enjoyed the closest and most intriguing relationship with man. This beautiful book is lavishly illustrated with works from all over the world, ranging from the earliest African rock paintings to the groundbreaking work of contemporary artists. It explores the various roles the dog has played in both art and society, including its depiction as a symbol of fidelity and romantic love; as a prized possession, vaunting its owner's power and wealth; as a treasured and loyal pet; as a mythological being, mysteriously travelling between the lands of the living and the dead; as a religious image of purity, or dissolution; and as an indispensable working and hunting companion. A vividly written text is accompanied by glorious images, featuring many different breeds, that capture the soulful, beguiling and dynamic character of man's best friend in its diverse incarnations, from protector to predator, dark force to deity.
Tamsin Pickeral is an author and art historian specializing in books on art, horsemanship, animal husbandry and travel. Her books for Merrell include The Horse: 30,000 Years of the Horse in Art (hardback 2006; new paperback compact edition 2009) and The Dog: 5000 Years of the Dog in Art (hardback 2008; new paperback compact edition 2010), included in The Financial Times Top Fifty Art Books of the Year, and The Sunday Times Art Books of the Year.
"Comprehensive, historically accurate, often amusing"
– Countryside
"Superb [...] richly illustrated and impeccably designed narrative"
– Financial Times
"Intelligently chosen and entertaining pack of canines"
– The Sunday Times
"Lavishly illustrated hardback"
– Time Out
