Dogs in Special Collections:
An Exhibit of Books Containing Illustrations of Dogs
May through October 2009
“In shape of dogs and hounds,” wrote Shakespeare, and varied indeed are the representations of dogs. Drawing on a wide variety of works — from books of Shakespeare’s time to little literary magazines of today — this exhibit showcases images of dogs as found in Special Collections: dogs, singular and plural, in a baroque courtyard or Victorian parlor, Arctic camp or western ranch. Some of these dogs played important roles in the narratives in question; others added local color, danced to the busker’s command, served human masters, or stood for Nature’s creations, wild or domesticated. Dogs, of course, figure among the subject matter of natural history; and the strong holdings of Special Collections afford accounts of the species in general, as well as of an evolving array of breeds. At the same time, incidental appearances of dogs in a variety of spaces, from alchemists’ laboratories to private girls’ schools, speak to the cultural significance of “hounds, and greyhounds, mongrels, spaniels, curs, shoughs, water-rugs, and demi-wolves.” This exhibit invites you to explore the place of dogs in our hearts and in our books.
Appearing Elsewhere
Images from rare books in Special Collections appear in the installation Loca Miraculi: Rooms of Wonder by artist Martha Glowacki in the American Collections at the Milwaukee Art Museum. More ».