Art: Da Vinci Goes to the Dogs?

By Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson


"Dinner and Drinks with the Son of Dog"
 © Ron Burns

In his new painting "Dinner and Drinks with the Son of Dog," Ron Burns re-creates Leonardo Da Vinci's masterpiece "The Last Supper," but replaces Jesus and his disciples with dogs. One gallery owner has already refused to carry the work. "'Maybe the world isn't ready for this. Truth is, I wasn't trying to be controversial with this one,' says pop artist Ron Burns. 'I love Da Vinci, I love dogs[,] and it seemed like a fun idea to bring the two together.'" (Press Release: PRweb.com)

 

Burns' specialty is portraits of dogs in vibrant neon colors. He has participated in charity functions for Animal Planet and Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and has also been named artist-in-residence with The Humane Society of the United States. View Ron Burns' gallery here.

What's your reaction to this artwork? Is it harmless? Offensive? Inconsequential?

 

Comments

[Darius (statrei)]

This does not bother me. I never witnessed any group of men seated in such a configuration. The claim has been made that the men in the original picture are Jesus and his disciples but I have no way of knowing.

[Elaine]

Art is never intended to be realistic as a photograph, but a reprsentation of the artist's perception, and that gives a very wide leeway. See the medieval dress of Jesus and his followers, or other contemporary painters who drew on their current impressions (a blue-eyed Jesus?).

[Pastor Greg]

The Wittenburg Door did something similar last year with its spoof of The DaVinci Code. Click on my name for the link.

[David Hamstra]

To me, the painting illustrates the depth of the Son of God's incarnation. If someone finds the notion of Jesus as a dog offensive, I wonder if some of the angels found the notion of Jesus as a human offensive.

[Nathan Janes]

People are doing just what they do best....over reacting!
I guess they'll really get a kick out of my "One Nation Under Dog" painting I have planned here in the future.
www.PopARF.com

[Dick Larsen]

Kind of reminds me of that old question, How does a dyslexic agnostic who has insomnia pass his/her time? Stays up all night and wonders if there really is a dog.

[Bob Rigsby]

Oh no: Larsen stole my joke!

But hey folks -- the obvious (though unstated correllary) is the Mohammed cartons of infamy this past year.
That Christians HAVE a sense of humor about their religion speaks (does it not?) volumes about the "god" worshiped thereby??

Do you not feel at least a little bit sorry for a culture that takes it's religions so... SERIOUSLY??
(If WE take ours just as seriously, why does this NOT offend us??)

Face it; we worship a God who relishes OUR self discovery; NOT a God who demands a carefully circumscribed "form" of worship by which we "appease" Him.

Question: does GOD laugh at this cartoon/picture??
My God does! (even as He laughs at -- and with -- us)

[Zane]

A good book exploring similar themes (and one of my favs) is "My Name is Asher Lev" by Chiam Potok.

[Tim Mitchell]

At least the dogs gave up poker for lent.

[Einnob Reywd]

Speaking of art, what do all of you out there think of the current cover of "Spectrum"? When 10 means unsurpassably beautiful and 0 means uglier than ugly, what score do you give it?

[Arlyn]

Next, I'd like to see the last supper with Jesus as the worm and the rest as troubled birds. Perhaps that be closer to the incarnation and His willing sacrifice?

[Geoff Manderson]

Wow that artist of www.PopARF.com has more talent than this stupid artist.

[Dr. Thomas J. Zwemer]

Ron Burns is a copy cat cartoonist not an artist. His "work" ranks right down there with the cross in a vial of urine. He now has his 15 min. of infamy to let him go.
Francis Thompson's The Hound of Heaven is poetic art that has stood the test of time.