Here, Colville reveals his deep respect for animals with a role reversal: a man serving his dog. The painting shows a caring and trusting relationship. The man’s hand under the dog’s neck steadies the animal, rather than restraining it. As in many of Colville’s representations of people, the man is distracted by his task, while the dog looks straight at the viewer, seeing what the man cannot. Colville was forthright about his admiration for dogs: “If it were a question of reincarnation — that is, being embodied again, literally — I wouldn’t mind just being a dog. Their lives seem to me to be entirely innocent.”
“The painting shows a caring and trusting relationship. The man’s hand under the dog’s neck steadies the animal, rather than restraining it.” As it should be. Too often I hear about “pack leaders” and “alphas” and “dominance”. The painting is one of my favourites; Colville gets it – why can’t all trainers?
