Painted around 1860 by German artist Carl Gerber, this unusual piece takes an actual wooden painter’s palette and turns it into a charmingly absurd little scene: a bulldog, dressed to the nines in white collar and cravat, is caught mid-moment reading the paper, cocktail in one paw and cigarette in the other, all while side-eyeing a curious bee buzzing just above his head. Original oil dabs and thick brushstrokes still smear one side, reminding you this was once a working tool—not just a canvas for whimsy.
Painted around 1860 by German artist Carl Gerber, this unusual piece takes an actual wooden painter’s palette and turns it into a charmingly absurd little scene: a bulldog, dressed to the nines in white collar and cravat, is caught mid-moment reading the paper, cocktail in one paw and cigarette in the other, all while side-eyeing a curious bee buzzing just above his head. Original oil dabs and thick brushstrokes still smear one side, reminding you this was once a working tool—not just a canvas for whimsy.
