Abstract

The aim of this article is to offer several possible interpretations of dogs which appear in many works of Jean-Antoine Watteau. By the analysis of the influences that led the painter to the creation of his own style, we have found that he borrowed the motif of this animal from 17th century Flemish painting, and Rubens’s art in particular. The role of the dog in Watteau’s paintings is nonetheless not evident: it could be paying homage to Rubens, it could be seen as a symbol of wealth, faith and eroticism and it can also be a decorative element. Our goal is not to give an answer to the question as to what the function of the dog in Watteau’s paintings is, but by analysing Watteau’s biographies, evoking some of his pictures and studying the unusual posture of the represented dogs, we wish to show directions for the analysis of this enigmatic animal.