Reinterpreted artworks within the walls of her home with the help of her dog: the challenge of an American artist


At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Getty Museum decided to come up with a creative and playful social media initiative: inviting users to reinterpret their favorite works at home. An American artist with her dog Finn also participated.

In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, when large parts of the world were forced to stay indoors due to the lockdown, the Getty Museum decided to come up with a creative and playful initiative on social media: inviting users to reproduce their favorite paintings using only what they had available within their homes. The challenge, called the Getty Museum Challenge, spread quickly gaining great success does part of art enthusiasts, the curious and the creative.

Among the most original stories born from this initiative is that of artist Eliza Reinhardt and her inseparable four-legged companion, Finn, a three-year-old Australian Shepherd. Reinhardt, confined to the house like everyone else, decided to try her hand at the challenge by transforming her dog into a true artistic protagonist. With surprising naturalness, Finn lent himself to playing ever-changing roles, posing in costumes and accessories like a professional model.

Their day always began with a precise routine: an early morning wake-up call, a steaming cup of coffee, a few caresses for their faithful furry friend, and then an online search for a work of art to recreate. Once the subject was identified, Eliza would immediately get to work: selecting clothes, props and useful materials, setting up the photo shoot in the loft she had transformed into her home studio, and getting Finn ready. The whole process was both challenging and fun, turning their mornings into a time of shared creativity.

At first, Reinhardt favored paintings depicting dogs or other animals, staying true to the pictorial tradition that often celebrated domestic companions, but soon the artist decided to broaden the game: why limit Finn to impersonating only animals, when he could have worn the guise of historical figures, mythological figures, or even inanimate objects? Finn became Eurydice in George Frederick Watts’ Orpheus and Eurydice, a vase in Fernand Léger’s Woman with a Vase, a doll in Pablo Picasso’s painting Maya with her Doll.

As the days passed, the famous works recreated became more and more elaborate. Eliza would go so far as to devote as many as four or five hours daily to painting backdrops, building sets, putting on makeup, searching for available props and, most importantly, teaching Finn how to hold the right pose for the shot. The photographs were made entirely by her, using the camera’s timer and taking care of every detail.

The result was an amazing gallery of images. Among the most striking recreated works were Guido Reni’s Salome with the Head of the Baptist, Edvard Munch’s Anxiety, Salvador Dalí’s surreal Lobster Telephone, or Paul Klee’s Mask of Fear, Grant Wood’s American Gothic. And of course, one of the most famous works in art history could not be missed: Johannes Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring.

What began as a pastime during a difficult situation became, for Eliza and Finn, a form of artistic expression in its own right.

Those who wish to discover all their reinterpretations can still find them today on Eliza Reinhardt Studio’s social profiles.

Pictured: left, Salome with the head of the Baptist by Guido Reni; right, Eliza Reinhardt’s reinterpretation with her dog Finn.

Reinterpreted artworks within the walls of her home with the help of her dog: the challenge of an American artist
Reinterpreted artworks within the walls of her home with the help of her dog: the challenge of an American artist


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