Pets in Portraits by Robin Gibson

Pets in Portraits by Robin Gibson

Regular price
Checking stock...
Regular price
Checking stock...
Summary

A collection of portraits featuring cameo appearances by animals, selected from the collections of the National Portrait Gallery, London, by Robin Gibson, a former Chief Curator, who tells remarkable stories behind them.

The feel-good place to buy books
  • Free delivery in Ireland
  • Supporting authors with AuthorSHARE
  • 100% recyclable packaging
  • Proud to be a B Corp – A Business for good
  • Buy-back with Ziffit

Pets in Portraits by Robin Gibson

‘Look at people and their pets today. Pets tell something about their owners, whether they are bought to make a fashion statement, as child substitutes or as an expression of unconditional love between two sentient beings.’ So remarked Robin G ibson, the author of this book , on its first publication in 1998. ‘It i s about the various animals that appear in portraits in the National Portrait Gallery, but it is also about the owners of the animals w ho commissioned the portraits. The association of the subject or indeed the artist of a po rtrait with an identifiable pet immediately adds a further dimension to our understanding of the characterisation. ’ For example, in a self - portrait by Hogarth there is a pug – probably painted over by the artist and visible only under X - ray – relieving itself on a pile of old master paintings. ‘A succinct comment,’ Gibson writes , ‘on those collectors who preferred second - rate foreign imports to contemporary work s by British artists. ‘ From the Elizabethan soldier and diplomat Sir Henry Unton to the children of King Charles I; from the little terrier that records Lady Caroline Lamb’s first extra - marital affair to Queen Victoria’s dogs, photographed with her Ghillie John Brown; from the extraordinary images of ballet dancer Anna Pavlova and her pet swan to the poet and critic Edith Sitwell and her favourite cat, this book charts the British love - affair with the domestic pet. F or this new edition , the naturalist, pho tographer and television presenter Chris Packham has contributed an introductory text that features additional portraits from the Gallery’s collections . Amusing and often surprising, this delightful book provides some unusual insight s into the special bond between sitters and their faithful companions.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9781855144989
ISBN 10 1855144980
Title Pets in Portraits
Author Robin Gibson
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Paperback
Publisher National Portrait Gallery Publications
Year published 2015-03-09
Number of pages 144
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note Unavailable