A Young Girl and Her Dog
少女と犬
Joshua Reynolds · c. 1780 · Oil
Image: Source: Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (Work page (opens in a new tab)) (reduced in size on this site) CC0 (opens in a new tab) View larger
A portrait of a girl hugging a dog, painted by the English artist Reynolds around 1780. Regarded as a typical "fancy work," a type between portrait and genre painting, it is owned by the Tokyo Fuji Art Museum.
- Artist
- Joshua Reynolds
- Date
- c. 1780
- Medium / format
- Oil
About this work
Beneath a large tree, a curly-haired girl wearing a red ribbon holds a fluffy white-and-brown dog firmly and looks out at the viewer. Behind her spread a sky with drifting clouds and the green of distant trees. It is an oil painting measuring 77.5 x 63.5 cm.
Who the girl was is not known, but the painting seems to have been known throughout the 19th century as "A Young Girl and Her Dog." Many similar versions with the same composition survive, suggesting how popular this subject was.
Showing the girl large in what looks like a pastoral landscape, this work falls between portrait and genre painting, and is pointed out as having something in common with the contemporary Gainsborough. It moves away from the conventional portrait and seeks a free, approachable style. A well-known portrait of a child from the 1780s that resembles it is "Master Hare" (c. 1788, Louvre Museum).
Where can I see it?
Exhibitions change over time. Check each museum's exhibition information before you visit.
Museums that hold this work
Plan your visit to Tokyo Fuji Art Museum
Find places to stay, activities and rental cars for a visit to Tokyo Fuji Art Museum, which holds "A Young Girl and Her Dog".
Frequently asked questions
- Who painted A Young Girl and Her Dog, and when?
- A Young Girl and Her Dog is by Joshua Reynolds, made in c. 1780. Medium: Oil.
- Where can I see A Young Girl and Her Dog?
- It is held by Tokyo Fuji Art Museum. Exhibitions change, so check each museum's information before you visit.
Sources and references
- Tokyo Fuji Art Museum (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
- Japan Search (in Japanese) (opens in a new tab) (checked 2026-11-05)
More from Tokyo
Discover more of the same region on our sister sites.