Cats And Dogs

New exhibit explores our diverse and complex relationships with cats and dogs

It’s probably fair to say that Thomas Sully, in painting his 1843 oil on canvas masterpiece Cinderella at the Kitchen Fire, did not envision that in 2014, his delicate painting would be featured in the same gallery space as a Japanese video montage of cats balancing things on their heads and paws. However that is exactly the case at the Blanton Museum of Art’s new exhibition, In the Company of Cats and Dogs.

The exhibit, which opened June 22 and runs through September 21, features around 150 diverse works that are meant to provide an expansive look at our relationship with cats and dogs throughout history.

“Through especially beautiful and affecting works of art, we hope to make our visitors aware of some of the diverse and complex histories we have had with cats and dogs over a period of 33 centuries,” says Francesca Consagra, the Blanton’s senior curator of prints, drawing and European paintings.

The time span and rich set of themes tackled is ambitious but also inclusive. The diverse works weave a story of our ever-changing relationship with cats and dogs and, as Blanton Director Simone Wicha says, “gives a deeper understanding of our own identities and relationships.” Individually, there is a piece in the exhibit for every type of animal and art lover.

There are Egyptian sculptures dating from 700 to 300 BCE, including an original limestone drawing of an Egyptian god who is part man, part dog, and a striking dog-shaped vessel curved into the shape of a large serving bowl. There are a number of impressive and vibrant large, gold-framed paintings that hang beautifully on the green hued walls of the hunting section of the gallery, including a jarring, almost photographic portrayal of a successful hunt by Dutch painter Jan Weenix, known for his skill at rendering fur and feathers.

Numerous treasures borrowed from the Blanton’s sister museum The Harry Ransom Center — including an 11th century manuscript depicting a zodiac dog, and a rare copy of the first published edition of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland — are turned open to display specific pages illuminating the historical significance of cats and dogs over time.

The exhibition is ideal for pet-friendly Austin, and will be a big hit with kids, too. An interactive room features places for children to draw their favorite pets and share pet stories, as well as play animal education iPad games and submit family pet portraits via an interactive gallery.

---

In the Company of Cats and Dogs runs through September 21. The Blanton is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 am - 5 pm, Saturday from 11 am - 5 pm and Sunday from 1 pm - 5 pm. Admission is $9 for adults and free for all Blanton members and current UT-ID holders. Thursdays are free admission days. For more museum information, visit here.

unspecified

New

Historic Austin museum will close for more than a year for restoration

Photo courtesy of the City of Austin

The Elisabet Ney Museum will close at the end of 2024 and reopen in mid-2026.

Every building needs some maintenance here or there, and the historic Elisabet Ney Museum needs some extra-special care. Formerly the art studio and residence of its namesake, it's been standing since 1892. It'll spend 2025 in relative solitude, as it undergoes renovation for a year and a half with no visitors allowed.

The museum will close to the public December 30, 2024, and open again in the summer of 2026 if all goes according to plan, a news release from the City of Austin shares. It'll be a quiet period compared to the 21,000 people visiting from around the world each year.

According to a museum overview on the city's website, Elisabet Ney, a European portrait sculptor, bought the property and called her new studio Formosa. She worked on sculptures depicting important Texans like Stephen F. Austin and Sam Houston, and collected works of European contemporaries.

The building at 304 East 44th St. includes 3,700 square feet of museum space, which was converted by Ney's friends after her death in 1907. It retains its unique look that juxtaposes a Neo-Classical main studio from 1892 with a later addition from 1902 including a tower for her husband, Edmund, to write in. It is also on 2.5 acres of land, which has largely been restored to its natural state with native species.

A press release lists these tasks (verbatim) within the scope of the new work, referred to as the Capital Improvement Project (CIP):

Restoration of original exterior wood doors and windows
Upgrades and replacement of the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system
Replacement of the exhibit and general lighting systems
Repairs to the roof, masonry, plumbing, and interior finishes.

There will also be work to do outside of the building. Workers will replace the pedestrian bridge across Waller Creek, stabilize a 20,000-square-foot portion of the bank, and make the grounds more accessible by adding new pathways.

Funding comes from several sources, according to a release: "the 2012 Bond, Proposition 14, the Parkland Dedication Fund, the Historic Preservation Fund, Partners in Preservation through the National Trust, and contributions from the Friends of the Elisabet Ney Museum."

museums galleries history texas