Rufino Tamayo, Dog Howling at the Moon

Rufino Tamayo, Perro aullando a la luna (Dog Howling at the Moon), 1942, oil on canvas, 112.4 x 85.7 cm (Art Bridges, Bentonville) © estate of the artist
speakers: Dr. Javier Rivero Ramos, Assistant Curator, Art Bridges Foundation, and Dr. Beth Harris

[@RosendahlMusic]

I cannot express the quality and value that this channel is bringing to people. It helps not only with expanding our knowledge of art and history, but of english vocabulary as well. Thank you, team of Smarthistory.

[@carlberg7503]

Stunning painting I did not know. Thanks for introducing it to me, and thanks for the brilliant analysis that consummately blends aesthetic analysis and history, showing how a visual image comments on the world. In this specific case, on war. Your analysis could not come at a better time when we see the horrors of war every day on the news.

[@SmittenKitten.]

There's a feeling of restrained fury in the dog.

[@guest_informant]

Painted in the middle of a World War II, at a time when no-one knew what the outcome would be.

[@sherryzimmerman9220]

“The artist desires ‘AMALGAMATION’ of two worlds as the docent expressed……for me it reads the sense of a world gone mad in 1942…..with the moon continuing in its natural cycle day in and day out…….whether or not….this is great sharing in social media today….

[@willow1230]

Any relation to Miró’s “Dog Barking at the Moon”? painted about 20 years earlier

[@barrymoore4470]

I also was reminded of that earlier painting when seeing this title and subject.

[@random22026]

2:16 2:18 2:21 5:54 The moon in eclipse; the bare bones of death. Visited an exhibition of Tamayo's paintings in East Los Angeles in the late '70s/early '80s, with my sibling. Tamayo is an amazing artist. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🤲🏻🤲🏻

[@Sasha0927]

I love the way Dr. Ramos pronounced the name of the painting. 🔥 I also loved the Colima dog figure - very cute! This piece, though... lol. I can't get over the thick vein (or loose skin) going down the dog's body... In combination with those pupil-less eyes, it kinda freaks me out a little. "Guernica" is another crazy piece. I can see how it would've inspired this one. Very interesting as always. ❤

[@barrymoore4470]

The ancient Colima clay figures, especially the little pot-bellied dogs, are delightful.

[@artistmajor]

I see the dog as in a kind of triumphant "carpe diem" expression. The dog seems to have eaten all of the meat off the bones in the bowl as well as the ground; and howling as if to say, "it is finished!." This, to me, alluded to Christ being lifted up on the cross and looking up saying, "it is finished!" before drawing His last breath. Then, as the moon suggests, it went dark for some hours after His death.

[@Corey0205]

love watching your videos.......very informative.....I am curious if you take suggestions from your viewers....would love to hear your analysis of the recent portrait of King Charles.

[@smarthistoryvideos]

Though we do sometimes feature contemporary work, as art historians we tend to focus on works of art that have accrued some history. Nevertheless, it is interesting to think about the challenge of trying to paint a meaningful portrait in the 21st century when the camera usually does the work of documenting us. Add to that the fact that British monarchs have had their portrait painted for so many centuries but never with the instant and vast audience that now weighs in with their unfiltered opinions, and so much relish. I don't envy the artist.

[@TheSarah730]

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