Three dog studies 1925

Jacob Happ created these three dog studies in pencil in Germany around the turn of the century. The immediacy of the sketch suggests it was made from life. But what might have been the function of such a study? During Happ's lifetime, a rigid system of academic art education prevailed, in which art was seen as a craft, not just an expression of individual creativity. Aspiring artists were trained through rigorous study and observation, copying existing artworks, drawing from plaster casts, and eventually sketching from life. Animal studies such as these were a common practice in the curriculum. The Städel Museum itself was originally founded as a teaching institution. It reflects a desire to preserve the traditional techniques of art, while also broadening access to artistic training beyond the upper classes. As historians, we look at what the art was used for at the time, and who it was made for. By researching the institutions of art education, we can understand the changing social role of the artist.