For centuries humankind has found deep friendship with canines. In the 17th century, among the wealthy, dogs were considered a status symbol, and aristocrats attentively bred greyhounds and spaniels for the hunting and flushing of game birds. In the next century, dogs began to be recognized for their companionship. Women started keeping lapdogs in their purses and baskets, breeds such as Pomeranians and King Charles Spaniels. In the 1800s, dog shows and purebred pups proliferated, and pet ownership became the norm. It’s no surprise that besotted owners began commissioning portraits of these prized possessions. This exhibition presents depictions of dogs from the 17th century through the present. Fifty works are on view, by artists including Thomas Gainsborough, George Stubbs, William Hogarth, and David Hockney. —Elena Clavarino