How Artists See Animals

A blog dedicated to the two things I love the most: art and animals. I do my best to find high quality images that I can directly source. I spend a lot of time searching for, tagging and sourcing these images. Please keep this info available for others if you reblog. Enjoy!

[indigodreams]

Life in the Boreal Forest Gennedy Spirin @wambaworld

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A Picture Book of Wild Animals - 1885 - via University of Southern Mississippi Libraries’ Digital Collections

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Poule mourante - Theo van Hoytema - c.1890 - via Sotheby’s

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Greyhound in a landscape - Jean-Baptiste Oudry - 1746 - via Sotheby’s 

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Source: http://kagedo.com/wordpress/g/edo-period-scientific-instrument-sellers-maneki-neko/

Okimono or sculpture in the form of a tabby cat with its paw resting on a Shinto shrine bell, the bell articulated to open sideways revealing a compass. The cat of cast, cold-chiseled and gilt bronze with inlaid glass eyes; the compass of cast, cold-chiseled and gilt bronze with a glass cover. The reverse with holes for pin attachments for a base, now missing. Edo period, 18th century – early 19th century.

The cat sits smiling with confidence. The lucky beast has found its missing bell. Did it fall or was it batted down from a neighborhood Shinto shrine, shaken to waken the gods? Rolled beneath its paw, the bell hides a compass guide to the four corners of the universe.

Maneki Neko beckoned guests and customers into inns and shops. Most were humble creatures and very few early examples exist. Instead of raising a paw to call money like his brethren, this charming tabby slyly tips a right ear, curling it forward in welcome.

It may be that this feline sculpture beckoned for a dealer in scientific instruments, compasses, telescopes and microscopes. If so, only the metropolis of Edo (now modern Tokyo) would have supported such a specialist shop. Feudal daimyo and their advisors brought wealth to the city. These people and few others could afford the medium of gilt bronze. They loved surprise and fashionable karakuri or mechanical toys. As the globe hinged open to reveal a compass, it would have been to smiles of delight.

Such a merchant would travel to visit daimyo clients, almost the only people with the means to purchase his wares. What better than to borrow his cat’s compass bell for the journey?

8.3” high x 6.3” x 4.3”, dimensions of cat.

3” high x 2.8” diameter, dimensions of bell-compass.

[artistsanimals]

Source: http://kagedo.com/wordpress/g/late-edo-period-bronze-bat-hanging-koro-by-yamashiro/

Tsuri-goro or hanging incense burner in the form of a flying bat with out-stretched wings. Of cast and cold-chiseled bronze, with a bronze chain. Signed on the reverse with a chiseled signature by the artist: Yamashiro. Edo period, early 19th century.

With the tomobako or original box, inscribed on the exterior of the lid: Komori Tsuri O-goro or Bat (Form) Hanging Incense Burner; and on the reverse of the lid signed: Okamashi Yamashiro or Kettle Caster Yamashiro, and sealed: Yamashiro.

The exterior of the box bears a paper label which reads: Karakane Komori Tsuri-goro or Bronze Bat (Form) Hanging Incense Burner.

Inside the box is a paper auction document inscribed: 83 Yen, Heizando, with a round seal: Urikire or Sold; and dated: Showa Yon Nen Ju-gatsu, Ju-yon-ka, Makino-ke Kanju Shogun Shozohin Nyusatsu Fudamoto Ito Heizando or Showa (era) 4th Year (1929), October 14th, Sale of General Kanju of the Makino Family’s Collection (by) Ito Heizando (Auction House). Ito Heizando was located in Ryogoku, Tokyo.

General Kanju (1846 – 1926) was an army officer and politician. Born in the Choshu domain (now Yamaguchi Prefecture), he entered the Army Ministry after the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Despite his Choshu origins, he became a vocal opponent of the Choshu-Satsuma monopoly of government power. Appointed minister to Korea in 1895, he was imprisoned for his part in the assassination of Queen Min, but later released. He entered politics as a member of the Kensei Honto party and was named to the Privy Council in 1910.

Yamashiro was a generational kettle casting family that worked in Tokyo.

Made to suspend in a tokonoma alcove, this sleek, stylized bat would have been seen flying through incense as if through evening clouds.

1 ¾” high x 13 3/8” wide x 3 3/8” long, dimensions of bat without chain.

[artistsanimals]

Source: http://kagedo.com/wordpress/g/yokokawa-eikyu-bronze-dancing-bull-koro/

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Source: http://kagedo.com/wordpress/g/edo-period-bronze-rabbit-koro/

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Source: http://kagedo.com/wordpress/g/edo-period-bronze-okimono-toad/

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Source: http://kagedo.com/wordpress/g/edo-period-bronze-rabbit-okimono/

[clawmarks]

Die graphischen Künste der Gegenwart - 1910 - via University of Heidelberg

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After Théophile Alexandre Steinlen - Two cats - based on a design for the artist’s exhibition in 1894 - via Sotheby’s

[c86]

Sydney Bird Painter (Artist Unknown) - Black Swan, c. 1790

[artistsanimals]

Title: Fox Wedding Artist: Ônishi Chinnen Medium: Woodblock print (nishiki-e); ink and color on paper Size: 23.4 x 30 cm (9 3/16 x 11 13/16 in.) Description: From one of ten albums of fan prints Source: Museum of Fine Arts Boston

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Title: White Fox Artist: formerly attributed to Maruyama Ôkyo Date: 1779 Medium: hanging scroll, ink and light color on silk Size: 120.2 x 70.6 cm (47 5/16 x 27 13/16 in.) Source: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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Title: Dancing Fox with Lotus-leaf Hat Artist: Ohara Koson Date: 1900-s-1910s Medium: Woodblock print Size: 36.3 x 19 cm (14 1/4 x 7 1/2 in.) Source: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

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Title: Walrus in Pressure Ice Artist: Kananginak Pootoogook Date: 1989 Medium: Stonecut and Stencil Printer: Qavavau Manumie Size: 62 x 77 cm Source: Dorset Fine Arts