“Ancestral Dogs”—the art of Thierry Poncelet

Belgian artist Thierry Poncelet is an artist, art restorer, art dealer and dog lover. This is how he puts them all together:  

Legend has it (his legend, actually) that one day he was restoring an aristocratic portrait and grew tired and bored by the ugly face of the lady.

So as a lark he put the head of his beloved dog on the body, with no idea how the joke would change his life. To his surprise his friends and colleagues loved it, as did many others.

After he  came up with the first Aristochien many more would follow.
His works are collected by aristocrats, royalty and museums among others.

Family portraits from earlier centuries are not fashionable today. They exist mostly in attics or flea markets if they even exist at all.

From forgotten aristocratic portraits Poncelet produces paintings that delight and amuse people throughout the world.

Well, not all people.

He has his share of critics who criticize him for being little more than a cartoonist or accuse him for being disrespectful to humans. Certainly, they feel, his paintings do not belong in museums.

His paintings are not just dog heads painted on human bodies, but dogs taking on aristocratic human characteristics. I guess you either love them or hate them.

I had a hard time selecting examples, so you can guess where I stand.
There are many more here.

Comments

[Tracey]

How intriguing ... though I must say I can't imagine ever wanting to hang one in my home! :)

[Stumpy and cyndi]

I love them! I'd definitely do up a sitting room or a hallway with bunches of them. (If I ever got over my allergy to dusting!)

Stumpy and her bean

[cube]

I think his art is whimsical and certainly shouldn't be taken as offensive. I think some people are way too grouchy and they need to loosen up a bit.

[Jerry]

My kind of art!! Where can I get it?

[jackie]

I think it's sort of freaky..ha

[Lynne]

Makes me want to take up a paint brush. I just love these paintings.

[Jimmy]

I love them!!!!