Cassius Marcellus Coolidge

Cassius Marcellus Coolidge (1844–1934) was an American painter best known for his series of paintings depicting anthropomorphized dogs engaged in human activities. Born in Antwerp, New York, Coolidge had no formal training in the arts but developed a distinctive style that would become iconic. His most famous works are part of the series commonly referred to as Dogs Playing Poker, which includes paintings such as A Friend in Need and Waterloo. These works were originally created as part of an advertising campaign for cigars by the Brown & Bigelow company in the early 1900s.

Coolidge's career also included ventures outside of painting. He worked as a pharmacist, founded a bank, and even created comic foregrounds for novelty photographs, where people could pose with their faces in cut-out holes. Despite the commercial nature of his work, Coolidge's paintings have achieved a significant level of cultural recognition and have been widely reproduced and parodied.

His work has been exhibited in various institutions, and his paintings continue to be subjects of interest in both popular culture and academic studies of American art. Coolidge's unique contribution to the genre of comic art and his anthropomorphic portrayal of animals have cemented his place in the history of American painting.