Cassius Coolidge's paintings of dogs playing poker

> Many art historians credit him with inventing “comic foregrounds,” those plywood pictures with a cut-out hole for a head, allowing passersby to pretend they’re bodybuilders or mermaids.

Comedian James Acaster did a bit about “pictures that you put your head in”, joking that everyone knows of them, yet there’s no name for them because (or therefore?) they’re never talked about. But apparently there is after all, even coined by the person who invented them. And of course such a kitschy thing was invented by the guy who painted “dogs playing poker”.

Lots of things are kitsch, and these paintings could be considered the epitome of kitsch, but there's other dimensions of analysis - whimsy, memorability among them, where these works have massive success.

I'm waiting for someone to mention Thomas Kinkade, there's definitely some spiritual connection that I'm unable to articulate but maybe others can.

The best thing about these paintings is the observation of dogs' personalities and how they can match up so well to human personalities. You could substitute cats, but because dogs are usually more gregarious and eager it just makes more sense. Anthropomorphism at its finest.

Now, we're "Business Casual"; but, many, many years ago, we started having "Causal Fridays." I opted for a necktie showing "A Friend in Need," the painting at the top of the article.

I've always liked those paintings!

To think of that, when it goes against all the laws of nature.

My grandma had one of these in the den near the pool table.