Photography and anthropogenesis: man's best friend

Examining how philosophy operates the human/animal distinction throughout its history, Giorgio Agamben concluded that any concept of humanity should both exclude and include animal nature. He called this metaphysical device "anthropological machine" - the historical process that produces separations and reconciliations between humanity and animality (such as the relations between body and soul, for example). Inside this machine, there would be a zone of indetermination where it is possible to perceive the tension between people and animals, where the movement of separation is suspended and the machine itself exhibits its clunking gear. Could this moment be caught? Is it possible to visit this place? The premise of this research is that the photographic camera, as an anthropological machine, has its anthropogenic role particularly visible when humans are photographed accompanied by dogs. Discussing works by painters such as Velasquez and Rembrandt and photographers such as Robert Capa and William Wegman, this essay aims to justify this premise.