Portrait of a dog.
21,5 x 16,5 cm (neatline). Etching on paper. With traces of former mounting.
€ 500,00
Rare copy of this charming etching depicting a dog, probably a terrier, in a domestic setting with carpet, water-pipe, a couch, and a baroque chair. Ferdinand II of Portugal was a talented draughtsman and etcher and a lifelong benefactor of the arts, which earned him the nickname "Rei Artista". Among his favorite motifs were animals and peasants. The etching at hand is indicative of Ferdinand's eclectic taste, combining orientalist and historistic influences. The most famous example of this inclination is the Pena Palace built on his commission between 1842 and 1854.
In 1836 the future Queen Victoria started an album of her cousin's etchings that would be continued until 1850, ultimatively assembling 54 of Ferdinand's works. In her journal entry of 24 March 1836, Princess Victoria describes how she "copied some of Ferdinand's drawings".
Diffuse foxing. With a minor tear to the upper right corner (not affecting the etching). An old Italian caption in ink erroneously describes the piece as a pen drawing.
