The Kennel Club Art Gallery is set to unveil two new exhibitions dedicated to the medium of drawing, showcasing a vast collection of eye-catching and impressive drawings of dogs.
Running from 9 October 2024, until 25 April 2025, Drawings of Dogs will feature all styles of drawing, and will include works by artists such as Marjorie Cox, Barbara Robinson Tester, Gary Stinton, Julie Brenan and Gifford Ambler, many of which are being exhibited for the first time. There will also be 19th century charcoal and chalk drawings after Sir Edwin Landseer’s painting of a Newfoundland entitled A Distinguished Member of The Humane Society, the original of which is currently on display at The Kennel Club, on loan from Tate.
The exhibition will also include a collection of stunning original sketchbooks, owned by the 19th Century animalier artist George Earl, known for his paintings of sporting dogs. These sketchbooks represent an important recent donation to The Kennel Club’s collections and were given by the Earl-Tomaszewski family, Australian descendants of the artist. This will be the first time that they have ever been on public display.
Ciara Farrell, Head of Culture and Heritage at The Kennel Club, said: “This new exhibition is a real celebration of our four-legged-friends and the many beautiful drawings of dogs that are held in the Art Collection and we are excited that many of these pieces will be exhibited to the public for the very first time.
“Once seen as simply a preparatory tool, drawing is now deservedly recognised as a standalone medium in its own right and visitors can look forward to seeing delicate pencil, exuberant pastel, elegant lines and, of course, many champion dogs, across a wide range of both contemporary and classic artists.”
Running concurrently with the Drawings of Dogs exhibition will be a capsule exhibition of the work of contemporary artist, Deirdre Ashdown. The Kennel Club has been steadily accruing a strong collection of original works and prints by this artist who is well-known for her wonderful pen and ink drawings of dogs. A huge variety of breeds of dog will be featured in the exhibition which spans her artistic career and will also include her commemorative works for the UK Toy Dog Society.
Both exhibitions will open from 9 October at The Kennel Club Art Gallery at 10 Clarges Street, Mayfair, W1J 8AB, from Monday – Friday, 9:30am to 4:30pm. Both exhibitions and Art Gallery are free to visit but must be booked in advance, by emailing [email protected] or calling 020 7518 1064.
To find out more about The Kennel Club Art Gallery, visit thekennelclub.org.uk/gallery or follow the Gallery’s Instagram at instagram.com/thekennelclubukcollections.
