We’re sure you’re familiar with “The Hustler,” Arthur Sarnoff’s painting of dogs playing pool. The image was popular in the 1950s and has become iconic kitsch.

Photographer Julian Wolkenstein takes it one step further by photographing real dogs and then compositing them into a game of pool. Wolkenstein originally dismissed the idea to re-create the famous print as too difficult an endeavoruntil she was approached by the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home to photograph three of their adoptable dogs however she wanted to.

It was meant to be!

The result is a stunning and humorous juxtaposition of dogs engaged in human activities. The images were enjoyed around Sydney during the summer of 2011 on donated ad spaces.

Via Laughing Squid