Isar Harlemia: a Saint Bernard

Isar Harlemia: A Saint Bernard (1902), at the Kunstmuseum Den Haag, is an unusual subject in Mondrian's early work—a portrait of a specific named dog (Isar Harlemia appears to be the animal's registered name) rather than the generic cattle or working animals of his Brabant subjects. Saint Bernards were prestigious breed dogs associated with wealth and social standing, and the specific identification of the animal suggests a commissioned portrait or a work produced for someone connected to the dog's ownership. The painting demonstrates Mondrian's facility with animal subjects beyond the agricultural cattle that dominate his documented animal work of this period.

A dog portrait requires close attention to the animal's characteristic physiognomy: the broad, heavy head of the Saint Bernard, its dense coat, and its characteristic warm-toned coloring. Mondrian renders these features with the observational accuracy of a painter working from a specific, patient sitter.