George Rodrigue’s Blue Dog Paintings Lead Helmuth Stone Gallery’s Upcoming Sale

American artist George Rodrigue was born in the Southeastern American state of Louisiana. He initially painted Louisiana landscapes and genre scenes of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. But he shot to fame with his Blue Dog series based on the Cajun legend of the “loup-garou,” or werewolf. It was actually inspired by a photograph of his departed dog, Tiffany. Although Tiffany was black and white in real life, Rodrigue painted her fur blue and eyes yellow in his works. Kiss Me I’m Cajun Too (1992), an oil on linen by George Rodrigue, is a key highlight of the upcoming sale from Helmuth Stone Gallery. According to the artist, the dog’s expression exemplifies life, longing for love, and humankind’s search for answers. Two of his other paintings also illustrate the character in different compositions. Split Personality depicts the blue dog along with two different hued dogs, whereas Hot Days Ahead portrays two versions of the same character against a plain red background. 

Gustave Courbet’s Rock Cliff Near Ornans also leads the listings. It portrays a landscape of cliffs and rocks, their reflections in River Loue, and a cloudy sky. To view the complete catalog and register to bid online, visit Bidsquare and browse other online auctions.