A Brief Look at the Dogs Playing Poker Painting
By
Jane Shaw
Senior Editor Updated: 10/27/2023
We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.
Dogs Playing Poker Painting
- The Dogs Playing Poker Painting
- Dogs Playing Poker Original
- Who Was Cassius Coolidge?
- Cultural Impact of the Art
- Sold for How Much?
- What Critics Say
- Other Takes on the Theme
- Frequently Asked Questions
The iconic Dogs Playing Poker painting is famous all around the world – and while it may seem like something that doesn’t really have a backstory behind it, you’d be surprised at the history accompanying the artwork! In today’s blog, we take a deep dive into the Dogs Playing Poker painting!
The Dogs Playing Poker Painting
The Dogs Playing Poker painting is famous in not just the USA, but the world – and to many people’s surprise, there’s a lot more to the painting than first meets the eye. Created by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, this iconic work is part of a larger series that was originally commissioned to advertise cigars. Over the years, it has evolved, so to speak, and now, is a staple in American pop culture, inspiring references in movies, TV shows, and more.
Dogs Playing Poker Original Part of Series
When you think of Dogs Playing Poker, you might think it’s just one painting, but you’d be wrong! As we just noted, the Dogs Playing Poker original painting is actually a series of 16 oil paintings, each featuring the iconic dogs in various human-like scenes. It was commissioned by a company called Brown & Bigelow in the early 1900s, and these paintings were intended to advertise cigars. However, it’s unlikely the cigar company had any clue just how successful the campaign would become!
In addition to the Dogs Playing Poker piece, the series also included “A Friend in Need”, “Pinched with Four Aces”, and “A Bold Bluff”. Each painting is designed to tell a story – capturing dogs in moments that range from intense poker games to playful fun. What’s more, the dogs are made to look like they have human attributes; they’re not simply looking down at cards; they’re smoking cigars, reading newspapers, and even testifying in court!
All the pieces have been praised for their ability to bring out emotions in humans – and it’s hard to deny this. Whether it’s the tension in the room during a high-stakes poker game or the importance of friendship in “A Friend in Need”, Coolidge managed to beautifully capture human-like emotions in dogs… in a way that no one had ever seen before!
The original paintings have been reproduced countless times, appearing on posters, calendars, and even poker chips. They’ve been discussed and featured in songs, music videos, movies, and TV – and they’ve cemented their legacy in American pop culture. They’ve even gone on to fetch huge bids at auction; more on that later!
While we’re primarily an online gambling-focused website – bringing you the best online poker sites for example – we like to take deep dives into topics like this, as we find them interesting – and we’re sure you will, too! So, let’s now look more at who the artist behind the painting was!
Who Was Cassius Coolidge?
Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, the man behind the Dogs Playing Poker series, was born in 1844 in upstate New York. He didn’t start his career as an artist; in fact, he held several jobs, including work as a cartoonist and an illustrator. Despite the fact that he wasn’t trained as an artist, Coolidge discovered that he had a knack for capturing emotion and storytelling through his paintings.
He started working for Brown & Bigelow in 1903, which led to the creation of the Dogs Playing Poker series. Unfortunately, little is known about Coolidge’s personal life. He appears to have kept his private life – well, private – although his work has left a major imprint on American culture.
What’s interesting, is that similar advertising campaigns today would be frowned upon – and indeed, illegal in most countries and states. Advertising smoking products is outlawed in most Western countries, so it’s also interesting to consider that his work has left a legacy that would, if launched today, be illegal!
Cultural Impact of the Art
The impact of the Dogs Playing Poker series on American culture is something many non-Americans would struggle to appreciate. While it started out from a simple cigar advertisement, it ended up becoming an accidental icon – and it’s appeared, as mentioned, in countless forms of media. TV shows like Cheers and The Simpsons have both referenced the paintings, and they’ve even made their way into movies like The Thomas Crown Affair.
They’ve been referenced in several high-profile, popular songs, the art has been reproduced thousands of times – finding its way onto everything from t-shirts and fridge magnets to car vinyl – and they’ve even managed to spark debate about what constitutes “real” art.
Sold for How Much?
You might be surprised to learn that the Dogs Playing Poker paintings have fetched quite a high price at auctions. In 2015, one of the paintings from the series, “Poker Game”, sold for an astonishing $658,000. This goes to show that despite their reputation among art critics (some of whom claim they’re lazy, boring and “not real art”) they hold real value – and are highly sought-after items.
One of the biggest impacts of these high auction prices, however, has been the renewed interest in the paintings themselves. As a result, an increased number of reproductions have begun to emerge – and new variations of the art have also started to hit the market.
This has also helped to build awareness around poker itself. With many states in the US now in the process of legalizing – if they haven’t already – online poker, it’s a great time for the paintings to spark yet more debate. And, if you’re in the US, you’ll be pleased to learn there are now more options than ever before for playing online!
What Critics Say
While we’ve already touched upon some of the negative reactions the painting has received, we thought we’d show you what some of the “experts” are actually saying. For example, art critic Jackson Arn stated that Coolidge’s dog paintings “belong to that pantheon of artworks that are immediately recognizable to people of all ages and backgrounds, including those who don’t readily admit to enjoying art.”
Critic Annette Ferrara described the series as “indelibly burned into… the American collective-schlock subconscious… through incessant reproduction on all manner of pop ephemera,” while she also described the series as “an icon of kitsch artwork”.
However, what critics often overlook is the emotional appeal of the paintings. They also tend to forget that today’s younger generations couldn’t care less about “real” artwork; they like things that look interesting, fun, and different – and that’s exactly what the Dogs Playing Poker series of paintings is. While art critics may not take the series seriously, it has endured for over 100 years and continues to hold a special place in American popular culture!
Other Takes on the Theme
Over the years, the Dogs Playing Poker series has had many spin offs and different variations – even including parodies! From modern reinterpretations that show different breeds of dogs, to versions that include other animals like cats and birds, the format has been hugely popular – and it’s great to see modern concepts brought into the mix.
Some variations have even crossed into other forms of media, including video games and animated TV series. Not only has this allowed the Dogs Playing Poker original piece to gain more fame – it’s also propelled lots of new ideas out into the open!
