Alcmène, Thisbe, Phillis, Arsinoe, Biche and Superbe were Frederick the Great's favorite dogs. He adored his greyhounds for their sensitive and affectionate character and instructed that his animals at Sanssouci Palace be addressed in French. He loved the shivering liveliness of his dogs, who were his closest friends, whose deaths he mourned and who are buried next to their master. Superbe († 1763) sat on Frederick's deathbed and when the weak king saw that his dog was shivering with cold, he whispered: “Warm Superbe with pillows.” His last words.

Anna Haifisch writes and draws comics, works as an illustrator for national and international media and creates print series, posters and products adorned with her designs. Her works are characterised by an interplay of expressive colouration and fragile line, and elicit humour in their wry treatment of pop culture touchstones. She sees herself as following in the international tradition of so-called Funny Animals such as Snoopy by Charles M. Schulz or the animated cartoon series “Looney Tunes”. In her drawings, anthropomorphic animal figures experience the absurdities of daily life, yet their superficial silliness often gives way to a dark melancholy. Haifisch plays with visual and narrative elements from the design world, comics and art history, forging a distinct artistic language that is present throughout her work.