Cassius Marcellus Coolidge: The Painter of Poker Dogs Cassius Marcellus Coolidge (1844-1934) stands as a singular figure in American illustration and art history—a master of capturing humor and nostalgia through deceptively simple compositions. Though largely self-taught, Coolidge achieved international renown for his series of paintings depicting dogs playing poker, cementing his place as one of the progenitors of modern meme culture…