Abby Sunshine

While perusing fine art, and looking for art with dogs, I found this image in the art collection of The Art Institute of Chicago. Take a look. . . What do you see?

Boy of Hallett Family with Dog

Unknown Artist

American, 1766/1776

Where shall we begin? Well, what do you see that would suggest this painting was done in the past? What makes you think it is in the 1700s rather than 2010?

I would definitely go with the clothing. I’m imagining the boy to be around the age of my 3rd graders, and I’d be very surprised to see them dressed like this.  For one thing, the collar looks very different than we see now. It looks like lace going around the neckline, being tied in a bow in back. Also the satin vest with buttons underneath a maroon jacket looks different than what I see now. It seems more formal to me, like how I’d imagine things to be back in the 1700s, or at least how they might dress to pose for a painting. Also, the boy is not smiling, or at least not much. I feel like now if I took a photograph, or had a photograph painted, there would be a much broader smile, one that looks like it is fun to be with a dog! I don’t know- what do you think??

OK, moving onto the dog. Tell me about this boy and dog. What is their story? What kind of a dog is it? How old is it? What would Abby Sunshine think of this boy and dog? How is Abby Sunshine like this little dog?

I answered the other question first, now it’s your turn. You tell me!