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Cassius Marcellus Coolidge Collection

While Cassius Marcellus Coolidge had little to no formal training as an artist, that certainly didn't stop him from leaving his mark in the world of art through his well-known poker paintings. His humor would eventually be reflected in his most famous work, which is a series of paintings known as "Dogs Playing Poker." Today, these anthropomorphic depictions of dogs are a beloved part of pop culture.

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Frequently Asked Questions

An American painter known for his dog paintings and dog playing poker paintings across several series that entered popular culture as jokey yet elevated works.

They look great, are recognizable, and are a good time to boot. People love, reference, and create more of them because they like the humor, nostalgia, and bizarre imagery that goes beyond the norm. Painting one yourself means you're in on the joke but also credited for the final piece.

You get a numbered canvas, a full set of acrylic paints, paint brushes, and a reference image with a paper map guide. It's all there, ready to go right out of the box for beginners or anyone already obsessed with Coolidge and/or painting.

Of course. While the scenes may be detailed and comprehensive, paint by numbers is a foolproof guideline to follow. Go slow, take your time, and you'll be surprised at the depth and personality of your finished painting.

Anyone looking to paint a historical piece should peruse ourFamous Paintings collection, which includes everything from masterpieces to unexpectedly cool finds like this one.

Dogs Playing Poker Paint by Numbers

Cassius Marcellus Coolidge (1844 to 1934) was an American painter and cartoonist from upstate New York, and the man behind Dogs Playing Poker. In 1903 the advertising firm Brown & Bigelow commissioned him to paint a series of dogs gambling, smoking cigars and bluffing, for calendars and cigar ads. The pictures became some of the most recognized images in American popular art, and they are just as fun to paint as they are to look at.

The Dogs Playing Poker Paintings in Our Collection

A Friend in Need (1903)

The most famous of the series: one dog quietly passes an ace to his neighbor under the table.

Poker Game (1894)

An early poker scene that predates the famous series. Rated beginner.

A Bold Bluff

A St Bernard bets big on a weak hand. Look for the follow-up, Waterloo, where the bluff is called.

Dogs Playing Pool

A billiards scene in the same good-humored spirit as the poker series.

Painting Cassius Marcellus Coolidge's Dogs by Numbers

The details

Cards, chips, cigar smoke and the glow of the lamp are what make each scene work. Take your time on the faces: every dog has its own expression.

Difficulty

Poker Game, A Bold Bluff and Dogs Playing Pool are rated beginner, A Friend in Need is intermediate.

Beginner · Intermediate

Diamond painting versions

A Friend in Need, Poker Game and A Bold Bluff also come as diamond painting kits, rated advanced for their many small drills.

A Friend in Need diamond painting · Diamond kits

More About Cassius Marcellus Coolidge

The Brown & Bigelow series

Coolidge painted 16 dog scenes for the firm, including A Friend in Need, A Bold Bluff, Waterloo and Post Mortem. Printed on calendars and posters, they became fixtures of American popular culture.

A man of many trades

Before his art took off, Coolidge worked as a druggist, sign painter and cartoonist, and he helped found a bank and a newspaper in Antwerp, New York.

Put Your Own Dog at the Table

Want your own pup in the picture? Our pet portrait kit turns a clear photo of your dog into a custom paint by numbers canvas with matching paints.

Paint Your Pet

A Piece of American Pop Art

Coolidge is also credited with inventing the comic foreground, the painted board with a hole for your face that still turns up at fairs and boardwalks. For more humor and famous art, browse famous paintings, the dog portraits of Carl Reichert, or all our paint by numbers kits.

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