Dalmatian Dogs (by James Ward) Playing Cards

This design features a painting by the English artist James Ward (1769–1859), who specialised in depicting animals. It shows a family of Dalmatian dogs: there is a male dog standing upright beside a female dog lying on the ground with two young pups suckling from her. All of the dogs have the white coats with black or brown spots that is typical of the Dalmatian dog breed. This breed of dog is thought to have come from present-day Croatia and its historical region of Dalmatia, and it was used originally as a hunting dog, but it is now celebrated for its gentle temperament and beauty.