LONDON —The bond between pets and their owners goes back a very long time.
As far back as the 16th century, Britain’s notables were opting to have their dogs, cats, sheep and even feathered friends appear in official portraits alongside them.
A book of paintings and photographs Pets in Portraits from the collections of the National Portrait Gallery in London brings these extraordinary and sometimes amusing pet cameos together in one place.
From the Duke and Duchess of Windsor sitting at a table with their pug ‘dizzy’, who is the the focus of the shot, to ballerina Anna Pavlova and her pet swan trying to outdo each other in the gracefulness stakes, the collection shows the long love-affair Britain has with their beloved pets.
Here's a selection of the best:
