'Woof': Museum celebrates dogs through the ages

The exhibition brings together medieval pottery, Roman jewellery and fine art, including the oil on canvas The White Dog by Vivian Crome, 1883

An exhibition devoted to dogs through an array of fine oil paintings and objects, including a coat made with dog hair, is about to open.

"Woof: A Celebration of Dogs" at Lynn Museum, in Norfolk, will examine the different roles they have played in society both as our four-legged friends and as working animals.

The items date back to Roman and medieval times and include works by artists Sir Edwin Landseer, Andy Warhol and David Hockney.

The exhibition, part of Norfolk Museums collections has been a passion project of curator Dayna Woolbright, who has two miniature Schnauzer dogs, Greta and Heidi.

Curator Dayna Woolbright with a coat made from the hair of a St Bernard dog, collected by its owner during its daily brush

She said: "We thought people like dogs; it's a good family-friendly theme. Why not see how we could use it to create this exhibition?"

The exhibition opens on 1 October and it is hoped that lots of local dog lovers will visit.

Ms Woolbright said among the items on display was a Roman coin that depicted the legend of Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome, who were raised by a she-wolf.

The coin examines the relationship between dogs and their wild cousins.

This Roman coin shows the legend of Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome

Other highlights include a gold Roman ring with a hero of Greek mythology, Meleager, and his dog.

There are also textiles made from dog hair, which includes an overcoat. "It was made in the 1930s by a gentleman who collected the hair of his St Bernard as he did his daily grooming and then had it woven and made into cloth," Ms Woolbright explained.

"This was then made into an overcoat for him by a Norwich tailor."

The Kennel Club has also donated an original painting that depicts the Toy Bulldog breed, which became extinct around the time of the First World War.

Luisa Foster, art collection curator at The Kennel Club, said: "We are delighted to have contributed towards Woof: A Celebration of Dogs.

"We look forward to seeing this diverse collection come to life, and celebrating the role our four-legged friends play in our lives.”

As early as 1650 people wanted to be pictured with their dogs as in this oil on canvas "Arthur Young and Mrs John Tomlinson" by an unknown artist

While it is anticipated that the exhibition will be popular with families, four-legged members are asked to stay at home.

A museum spokesperson confirmed: "While we love our four-legged friends at Lynn Museum, regretfully the only ones we are able to accommodate on site are assistance dogs."

Woof: A Celebration of Dogs runs until June 2025.