Antique Silhouette by Augustin Edouart of a Boy & His Dog, Dated 1828

Peggy McClard Antiques

Americana & Folk Art

Edouart started his career in art by making wax profiles of pet dogs into which he encrusted the dogs hair to make it look realistic. He must have loved dogs to have had such patience with this art (which was destroying his eyesight when he discovered his penchant for silhouette cutting). Edouart's love of dogs as well as this young boy's love of this dog is wonderfully characterized in this rare and very desirable double silhouette of a boy and his dog. The dog (who is of great size) watches his master and heeds his master's command to "stay." The boy shows he is the master of this great beast who must weigh as much or more than the master. Edouart gives us detail of the feathering of the dog's tail and haunches. The front legs are also feathered. The dog's profile shows the wrinkles of the great beast's jowls that fall back because of his slightly upturned head. He has a powerful skull and Edouart has even cut his eyelash. The boy's hand shows Edouart's mastery and emphasizes that Edouart believed the hands to be the most expressive part of the human body. Such a small, direct motion by the boy that stops the big dog in his tracks. The boy's hair is tousled and his young face is accentuated by a slightly upturned nose. He has bows on his shoes. Edouart gave the piece a quick watercolor wash to define the ground and the boy and dog's shadows. Signed Augⁿ Edouart fecit 1828. The majority of Edouart's duplicates for 1828 disappeared in the Bay of Guernsey, but Edouart is known to have worked in Cambridge, Manchester and Leamington. There are, however, only 2 entries in the rescued folios for 1828, so he may well have also worked in other towns. This beautiful silhouette is in a period bird's eye maple frame with an outward slanting flat profile. Frame size is 15 5/8" x 12 1/2"

(#4176) $3800

Please see the Silhouettist Biographies page for more information about Edouart.