The Kennel Club Gallery based at Clarges Street, London, opens to the public on 25th September 2003.

Over the past 130 years the Kennel Club has come a long way and on it’s journey has collected many great items of fine art, sculpture and memorabilia. The Kennel Club is delighted to be able to, for the first time, open its doors and share its renowned and impressive collection with members of the public.

The Kennel Club’s collection of art, the largest of its kind in Europe, records the development of the pure-bred dog, its relationship with man, its use in sport and work, its ability to adapt and the companionship it gives.

Artists featured within the collection include Maud Earl, F T Daws, John Emms, Francis Fairman and Arthur Wardle. However the collection doesn’t only contain the work of early canine artists. The Kennel Club is in the process of building a strong contemporary collection including the work of jessica Holm, Marjorie Cox and John Silver, ensuring the archive continues to record the development of the dog, physically and socially and the artists who paint them.

The gallery will also feature temporary exhibitions. The first exhibition to be featured is the ‘Bloodhound in Art.’ The exhibition includes oils be Lucus Lucus, John Sargent Noble and Maud Earl along with a splendid collection of 19th century bronzes.

The Bloodhound exhibition will run until the 14th November when it will be shortly followed by a Crufts exhibition - more details will be available closer to the time

Said Mrs Daphne MacDougall “It was always the wish of my late husband, John MacDougall, Chairman of the Kennel Club, that a Gallery was built to display the Kennel Club’s unique collection of canine art, one of the finest collections in Europe. It is with great pleasure that I have the honour of opening the gallery”

The Kennel Club would like to welcome anyone interested in dogs or art to see for themselves the impressive new Kennel Club Galley. Admission charges are £3.50 per person, £3.00 for groups of six or more. the Gallery is open without appointment, but those intending to use the Library should contact the Kennel Club, 020 7518 1009, in advance.