DaVinci’s horses, Rousseau’s primitive wildlife, Picasso’s bulls and even Dogs Playing Poker, animals have been a presence in the works of artists since the first cave paintings.

This afternoon, a menagerie of pets and animals will be present for art lovers and animal lovers to see when the Belmont Gallery of Art holds an opening reception for its latest exhibit “Animal Art” today, Friday, Sept. 19, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Gallery located in the Homer Building in the Town Hall Complex in Belmont Center.

Prizes for ‘Best in Show’ and ‘Best in Breed’ will be awarded by jurors and veterinarians, Dr. Suzanne Kay and Dr. Dawn Binder, from Belmont’s Cushing Square Veterinary Clinic.

The exhibit features animal artworks in a variety of media — painting, sculpture, photography collage, fabric art — by more than 50 local and regional artists.

And visitors can help homeless and abused pets at the same time as ten percent of all sales of artwork will be donated to the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell to support its mission to find loving families for abandoned and mistreated pets.

Light refreshments – maybe animal crackers – will be served. 

Photo: Timothy Wilson, Three Bills.