John Henry Dolph - Kittens Drinking Milk

John Henry Dolph (American 1835-1903)

Kittens Drinking Milk

The year was 1835, and John Henry Dolph was born near Lake George, New York. A few years later, his family moved to Ohio. When John Dolph turned fourteen, he began an apprenticeship as a carriage painter in Columbus. He moved back to New York City in 1864 and his works were annually exhibited in the National Academy of Design. In the 1860s, most of his oeuvre was landscapes, but after study trips to Antwerp and Paris, he developed his famous paintings with pets, such as dogs and cats. This painting which depicts three kittens drinking milk is a characteristic painting from his most famous period. When studying these three kittens, it is clear how talented John Dolph was when it comes to depicting pets; cleverly, he left the background in a grey/brown tone so we could focus just on the small cute kittens. Back in New York, Dolph became a member of the Kit Kat Club of avant-garde artists, the Lotus Club and the Salmagundi Club. He was elected into the National Academy of Design in 1877 as an Associate member and became a full Academician in 1898. Dolph lived in the Sherwood Studio Building at 57th and 6th. Sherwood Studio was the first apartment building in NYC made specifically for artists. John H. Dolph died in New York City on September 28, 1903.


signed JHDolph
painted c. 1880-1890
oil on canvas mounted on a board
dimensions 8.66 x 14.76 inches (22 x 37,5 cm)
frame 15.35 x 20.47 (39 x 52 cm)

Provenance:
From a Swedish private art collection