Dogs Playing Pool by Artist Arthur Sarnoff

Arthur Saron Sarnoff (1912-2000) was born in Brooklyn, New York. Prior to working as an illustrator, Sarnoff studied at the Grand Central School of Art in New York City and was a student of John Clymer and Andrew Wyeth. He was a member of the Society of Illustrators and exhibited widely, including at the National Academy of Design.

Arthur Sarnoff loved subjects that were whimsical or glamorous, and he loved Americana and slapstick humor. His portfolio includes extensive commercial work and his art appeared in a variety of advertising campaigns including Karo Syrup, Dextrose, Lucky Strike, Coors, Camay Soap, Sal Hepatica, Listerine, Vick's Vapor Rub, Meds, and Ipana Toothpaste. He illustrated many comics and he created a successful series of pin-up calendars for the Kemper-Thomas Company. According to Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, Arthur Sarnoff also made an album cover for the American punk band "Butthole Surfers" for their third album, called "Locust Abortion Technician," which portrays two clowns playing with a dog.

Sarnoff provided illustrations for all the major magazines of the time - including the "Saturday Evening Post," "McCalls," "American Weekly," "Collier's," "Woman's Home Companion," "Redbook," "The American Magazine," "Cosmopolitan," "Esquire," and "Good Housekeeping."

He was also a talented and highly respected painter, and he created portraits of a number of famous individuals - including John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, Bob Hope, Arnold Palmer, and others.

His paintings of dogs playing pool were popular and highly sought after throughout the 50s and they continue their popularity today. His best known works are paintings of dogs playing pocket billiards entitled "Jack the Ripper" and "The Hustler."

Sarnoff usually signed his works using his full name, or "Sarnoff", or just "AS."

The Scratching Beagle



Scratched at Dawn

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Jack the Ripper

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Arthur Sarnoff was directly inspired by the artwork of his predecessor, American artist and illustrator Cassius Marcellus Coolidge (1844-1934), the artist responsible for those poker playing, cigar smoking dogs.

Click here to learn more about "The Poker Dogs of C.M. Coolidge."