Dogs from Europe

This painting has been exhibited at the museum of the Lee Royal house in Korea. The complete work comprises a pair of two-panel screens, and this is a reproduction of the right screen depicting a borzoi (Russian wolfhound). Kansetsu had many pet animals, including Western dogs. Given the dog’s collars and the peony flowers, it is possible that the artist painted the dog in his personal garden. The large, empty spaces and the dog’s shiny fur make for an attractive depiction. This picture has been partially restored to repair damage suffered during the Great Kobe Air Raid in 1945, and is one of many cultural tragedies of war.