Sheep Dog or Collie (Smooth), from the Dogs of the World series for Old Judge Cigarettes 1890

Curator: Up next, we have a "Sheep Dog or Collie (Smooth)", dating back to around 1890. This coloured-pencil drawing and print by Goodwin & Company belongs to their "Dogs of the World" series, initially made for Old Judge Cigarettes. Editor: There’s a surprising charm to its simplicity. The subdued color palette, combined with the almost clinical pose of the dog, evokes a sense of calm and perhaps even a bit of melancholy. Curator: Right, these cards circulated during a period of significant transformation in American society, coinciding with the rise of consumer culture and the commodification of everyday life. The series offered a glimpse into a specific vision of dogs—not as purely working animals but as representatives of status and perhaps even affection. Editor: The choice of coloured pencils is interesting, yielding an unexpected texture. It is as if each hair on the collie has been individually attended to, giving the composition a feeling of life. Notice how they define form and suggest movement even within the static pose. Curator: Absolutely. Dogs played multifaceted roles in late 19th-century America—from guarding livestock to being symbols of domesticity and leisure. This artwork highlights evolving societal attitudes towards animals as companions, mirrored by the industrialization around them. Editor: But what of the emptiness, that sea of dotted nothing surrounding our subject? It places so much emphasis back onto the lines themselves. The print is really celebrating form using the animal’s recognizable structure, to explore color and composition. Curator: Very well observed. So, when considered within this wider context, "Sheep Dog or Collie (Smooth)" takes on a far greater symbolic significance. Editor: Indeed, and when considered for the subtle craft used here in rendering, this otherwise quaint study stands taller than I expected.