Stay Off

About this artwork.

Otto Eerelman (1839 - 1926) was a student of the Minerva Academy in Groningen and a student of the painter J.H. Egenberger with whom he took drawing and painting lessons. After that, he became mainly known as a painter, etching and lithographer thanks to his realistic sketches and paintings of dogs and horses. In 1867 Eerelman was asked to teach at the Minerva Academy and, in addition to his work as a teacher, he received assignments for various portraits. Many Groningen residents allowed themselves to be immortalized by Eerelman. As a painter he made various portraits of Princess Wilhelmina in her early years and later as Queen.

He probably painted this painting in the early eighties. His later work concerns almost exclusively dog ​​portraits or young dogs. Eerelman owed his popularity mainly to the fact that dogs and horses were very popular with the people of Groningen. The anatomy of the animals is lifelike and the furs are 'cuddly' captured on the canvas. Eerelman is sometimes referred to as the Rembrandt of Groningen. Many may know the name Otto Eerelman because of the Otto Eerelmanstraat in the ‘Painters district’, named after him.

The painting was retrieved from the depot of the Groninger Museum in the early 1990s during the reorganization of the municipality. This was selected for her room together with the then municipal secretary, because this work and the title Stay Off were in line with the developments of the organization. The college of mayor and aldermen wanted the organization to reorganize: the dog could be seen as the municipal secretary and the kitten represents the organization, "Don't touch our organization", so it was said.

Facts & Figures.

• Artist(s)
  Otto Eerelman

• Year of creation
  Unknown

• Dimensions (in cm)
  167x126

• Collection
  Town Hall Collection

• Technic
  Oil paint on canvas