When we first spotted Isabella Rozendaal‘s On Loving Animals photo series at Brain Pickings, we could sort of relate. Many of us own pets and aren’t entirely guiltless when it comes to humanizing animals. However, the Dutch photographer’s work proves that many folks take this to the extreme.
Rozendaal’s affectionate, strange, and even devastating images reveal the many ways we project facets of our lives and personalities onto our pets. The artist spent a year in Holland documenting these complex relationships — or what she calls an “obsessive, sentimental, and sometimes inconsiderate love of animals.” She followed owners and their furry darlings to the vet, at home, to pet shows, and to the grave. In some cases, the luxuries these attentive moms and dads afforded their beastly babies were entirely peculiar. Other customs and rituals — like dogs and cats with their own chairs (or should we say, thrones?) — are more widely practiced, but when considered through Rozendaal’s distant lens, suddenly feel unusual.
Rozendaal was kind enough to share her work with us. Head past the break for a closer look, then visit her website for the fascinating stories behind each photo.
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal
Image credit: Isabella Rozendaal