A Friendly Game - Friendship Greeting Card

INSIDE GREETING: I am wealthy in my friends.

This vintage illustration of dogs playing poker was painted by Cassius Marcellus Coolidge before February 1909 as part of his series of paintings for Brown & Bigelow. Coolidge originally titled this painting Judge St. Bernard Stands Pat on Nothing, but Brown & Bigelow’s marketers renamed it A Bold Bluff.

The Saint Bernard holds a cigar, staring keenly over the chips at the bull dog across the table. All the other dogs study the Saint Bernard, trying to determine what is in his hand. We can see that he only has a pair of deuces. Will the bull dog fall for the bluff? A large pile of chips in the middle of the table is at hand. This painting is the first in a series of two, so you will need to look at the final episode, Waterloo, to discover the ending.

Often hailed as "the most famous American artist you’ve never heard of," Coolidge's painting is more colloquially recognized as part of the famous series Dogs Playing Poker. Initially comprising 18 paintings on the same theme, the series was commissioned in 1903 by the publishing company Brown & Bigelow for calendars, posters, and prints to advertise cigars. While quickly gaining popularity, these paintings were simultaneously deemed kitschy during their time. 

Cassius Marcellus Coolidge (1844-1934), sometimes signing his work as Kash Koolidge, was an American artist best known for his iconic series of paintings featuring anthropomorphic dogs engaging in various human activities. Born in upstate New York, Coolidge initially worked as a druggist before pursuing his passion for art. His whimsical and humorous dog paintings, created during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, have become legendary. Among his most famous works is the Dogs Playing Poker series, which has left an indelible mark on American popular culture. Coolidge's ability to infuse humor and relatability into his art, combined with his love for dogs, has made his illustrations a beloved and enduring part of American art history.

This product was custom designed and created at our location in Seattle.

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