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The sculpture depicts a dog scratching its neck with one of its hind legs. The dog appears alert with its ears perked and head slightly tilted. The sculpture is cast in bronze, giving it a dark brown, slightly reflective appearance that highlights the details of the dog's fur and features. The sculpture captures the natural posture and expression of a dog in a moment of self-grooming.
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The sculpture depicts a dog scratching its neck with one of its hind legs. The dog appears alert with its ears perked and head slightly tilted. The sculpture is cast in bronze, giving it a dark brown, slightly reflective appearance that highlights the details of the dog's fur and features. The sculpture captures the natural posture and expression of a dog in a moment of self-grooming.

National Gallery of Art · Sculpture

A Dog Scratching

Attributed to Georg Schweigger

Date
1630s
Medium
bronze//Dark lacquer over rich brown bronze
Dimensions
overall: 5.9 x 9.2 x 8.7 cm (2 5/16 x 3 5/8 x 3 7/16 in.)
Classification
Sculpture · Small Bronze
Accession number
1957.14.78
Credit line
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Time span
1601 to 1650
Department
CSD
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • mammal
  • animal
  • Dog
  • Renaissance
  • Nuremberg
  • European Small Bronzes before 1900
Provenance

Gustave Dreyfus [1837-1914], Paris; his estate; purchased 1930 by (Duveen Brothers, Inc., London and New York); purchased 1945 by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation, New York; gift 1957 to NGA.

NGA object ID 43798. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.