Hunting Dog

Canines became a specific theme in Chinese painting in the Northern Song dynasty (960–1127) when paintings of dogs were included in the section called “Birds and Animals” in the Painting Catalogue of the Xuanhe Period (1119-1125, Xuanhe huapu). Many court painters during the Song dynasty were accomplished at painting dogs; some of the most well-known were Li Di (act. 12th c.), Li Song (act. 13th c.), and Zhao Yongnian. This work depicts a hound owned by the imperial court; the healthy dog walks in a spirited but leisurely manner. Painted in a tidy realism, the work is highly detailed; it reflects the aesthetic tastes of the court and is characteristic of Song-dynasty academy paintings.