John Henry Dolph (1835-1903, American)

John Henry Dolph
Self-portrait
1860

John Henry Dolph (1835-1903) was born near Lake George, New York and moved to Ohio in 1841. Eight years later he became an apprentice to a carriage painter. From 1855-1858, Dolph painted portraits for the Allen Smith Jr. studio in Cleveland. In 1864, he moved to New York city where he started to exhibit his work. Dolph studied abroad in Antwerp from 1870-1873 and in Paris from 1880-1882. From this time, he began painting dogs, cats, puppies and kittens. Highly praised in the New York Tribune in 1892, “…in painting one of the prettiest household sights, a bundle of vari-colored fur lying on a cushion and filling the beholder with perplexing doubts as to which heads, tails, and paws belong to which bodies.” A publication called The Recorder noted that “What J.G. Brown has done for the American street urchin, Mr. Dolph has done for the American cat.”

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An Easy Target Oil on Canvas John Henry Dolph American cats in art

An Easy Target
Oil on Canvas
Private Collection

Mother and Kittens

Kitten Watching a Butterfly John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Kitten Watching a Butterfly
Private Collection

A Safe Refuge - Pug and Kitten John Henry Dolph

A Safe Refuge – Pug and Kitten
Private Collection

Cat and Mouse John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Cat and Mouse
Private Collection

Cat and Mouse Detail John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Cat and Mouse
Detail
Private Collection

Cats by a Stool John Henry Dolph Private Collection cats in art

Cats by a Stool
Private Collection

Courage is Half the Battle John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Courage is Half the Battle
Private Collection

Dog and Kittens John Henry Dolph Private Collection American cat in art

Dog and Kittens
Private Collection

Repose John Henry Dolph Private Collection cat paintings

Repose
Private Collection

Mother Cat and Kittens
Private Collection

Mother and Kittens
Private Collection

Feeding Puppies and Kittens
Private Collection

Good Friends John Henry Dolph Walters Museum cats and kittens in art

Good Friends
Walters Museum

Mother and Her Kittens John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Mother and Her Kittens
Private Collection

A Cat and Her Kittens John Henry Dolph Private Collection

A Cat and Her Kittens
Private Collection

Playful Kittens
Private Collection

Puppy and Kittens
Private Collection

Kitten and Cigar John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Kitten and Cigar
Private Collection

Kittens
Private Collection

Mother and Kittens
Private Collection

Mother and Two Kittens John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Mother and Two Kittens
Private Collection

Mother Cat with her Kittens John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Mother Cat with her Kittens
Private Collection

Playing Kittens John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Playing Kittens
Private Collection

Playing with a Cigar John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Playing with a Cigar
Private Collection

Dinner Time John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Dinner Time
Private Collection

The Scholar 1881 John Henry Dolph Private Collection

The Scholar
1881
Private Collection

Playing with Thread John Henry Dolph Private Collection

Playing with Thread
Private Collection

Mother Always Provides John Henry Dolphe cats in art

Mother Always Provides
Private Collection

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