Breed Portraits

The Shiba Inu, painted.

The Shiba Inu is Japan's oldest and smallest native breed, a mountain hunter with the bearing of a much larger animal and the self-possession of a cat that has read philosophy. Shibas do not perform for approval; they grant audiences. That reserve — the fox face, the confident stance, the tightly curled tail carried like a signature — makes them natural subjects for the cleaner, more graphic portrait styles, where a strong silhouette and a level gaze do all the talking. It also makes the formal European styles quietly hilarious in the best way: a Shiba in aristocratic dress does not look costumed, it looks like it has finally been addressed by its correct title. Red, sesame, black-and-tan, or cream, with that urajiro white marking the face like brushwork already begun. Send a photo where yours is judging something. There will be many to choose from.