Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects
Date of Degree
9-2026
Document Type
Doctoral Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy
Program
Art History
Advisor
Mona Hadler
Committee Members
Joachim Pissarro
Caitlin Mehye Beach
Karl Steel
Subject Categories
History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology
Abstract
This dissertation reveals how animalier art emerged as a cohesive movement in French art between 1840 and 1890. The archives attest that the term “animalier” is tied historically to the nineteenth century and was applied to a select group of artists. When viewing animalier art as a movement unto itself, this dissertation outlines significant artistic trends across artists that remain invisible when viewed in isolation.
Animalier artists developed a unique methodological approach with a shared visual language, and common artistic goals–constituting a distinct artistic movement that should be studied accordingly. Without exception, these artists began their careers by training at the Muséum d’histoire naturelle’s Jardin des Plantes. Side by side, they sketched human and nonhuman animal subjects from the Muséum’s many collections and they forged connections with France’s foremost naturalists.
Animalier artists represented animals at a time when the boundaries between humans and animals were fraught. Their representations attested to radical new scientific evidence for human-animal kinship, grounded in their understanding of comparative anatomy, evolutionary theory, proto-ecology, and species extinction. These works invited new questions regarding the moral obligations of humans towards animals, contributing to the burgeoning animal welfare movement in France.
Recommended Citation
Orton Hatzis, Anna, "On the Treatment of Animals: Animalier Art and Animal Welfare in France Between 1840 and 1890" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/6794
