Dogs appreciating art is almost an oxymoron as it is difficult to fathom that a dog could appreciate fine beauty and aesthetics. It is even more fascinating because dogs can’t see as many colors as we can.
A Dog’s View:
Humans usually have three color receptors or cones and each is sensitive to red, blue and green light. Their different intensities and proportions help us see the world as it is. Dogs, contrary to popular belief, can see color; however, they are missing a cone and can only see yellow and blue. Dogs also don’t understand shades as we humans do. They are also not as sensitive to changes in brightness as we are. They apparently suffer from degrees of near-sightedness. However, their visual abilities are very powerful and they can sense distant motion far better than us.
Another interesting fact about dogs is that while they can’t see all colors if there is a painting, they can smell the different colors!
Is that the case for Julia Powell’s dog? We don’t quite know but can’t stop gushing over this dog’s reaction to her paintings!
Ella: The Dog That Appreciates Art
Julia Powell, an artist from Cambridge, Massachusetts, owns a beautiful golden retriever, who she’s named Ella Fitzgerald. And the name seems quite apt too, for while we don’t know whether she sings like her namesake, she definitely has taste for artistic and creative things!
Julia shared a video on Instagram where we get to see her golden retriever staring at one of her paintings as if she understands what the painting is about and is appreciative of the beauty. In the video, you can see how the dog quietly stares at the painting of two boats in the water. This painting is an oil on canvas. Julia, who was amazed at her dog’s reaction to her painting said she was sure her dog Ella was meditating looking at the boats. It was like she was in a zen state. It seemed to her as if Ella really likes boats. But it seems that it wasn’t just this painting that Ella loved. According to the photos and other videos posted by Julia on Instagram, Ella is seen looking at different paintings and staring at them for a while. In one video, Ella isn’t just mindlessly staring; she is seen scanning the entire painting as if she is trying to understand the depth of the painting. That painting is part of Julia’s Birch Swinger series. In another video, Ella is seen widening her eyes looking at the painting. There was one painting of a cliff by Julia which Ella loved staring at which is now sold to an art lover in San Francisco, who Ella took quite a liking to. Julia had tried to console Ella for the loss of both the painting and its new owner by jokingly telling her that long distance relationships are tough! Thankfully, Ella loves her owner’s paintings so hopefully, she wouldn’t miss that particular one too much! Her adorable reactions are making Julia’s fans go all mushy.
Julia’s fans are becoming Ella’s fan too! While people are gushing over the paintings, they are gushing over Ella too. Comments such as ‘beautiful dog admiring a fantastic painting’, are the kind Julia’s been getting ever since she started to share Ella’s reactions to her paintings. Julia lovingly calls Ella, ‘the greatest golden retriever art critic to ever live’. It’s no wonder, therefore, that Ella is such a regular feature in Julia’s Instagram feeds.
Julia works in Cambridge and is represented by a gallery in Boston. This talented painter has a degree from both Yale and Stanford. Her work has also been featured in the popular series, The Mindy Project.
Julia is a lucky woman to have found such a fan in her dog! While research says dogs can’t appreciate art, here’s a dog who is defying that notion, for no one who has seen Ella looking at Julia’s paintings can say otherwise. Ella is truly one classy dog!
Isn’t Ella Adorable?! Share this story so that others can marvel at Ella’s cuteness!
