This painting is a great portrait, but Im not sure it deserves to be preserved. Often times artwork may be perceived to be what its not. Where the painter may have included the dog for reasons unknown to man, we associate it with ideals and things that may or may not hold relevance to the actual painting.

You make great arguments towards the painting, and I love the way you point out each individual aspect of the painting, although there are plenty of other painitngs from the time period we could preserve. :p Although the attention to realism is a cause for preservation.

What is your favorite thing about the painting? Is there anything in the painting that maybe doesnt catch the eye on first glance, but should be considered most important in the painting at that time.