Wigs on the Green has dated this piece to the 19th Century.
These scrapbooks and his archive volumes were mostly all lost to the sea when Edouart was shipwrecked off the coast of Guernsey in 1829. Some years ago a salvaged scrapbook came to light in a Parisian bookshop and this is the source of this fun silhouette. Edouart has cleverly cut the dog and the chair as a single piece without any overlay or joint. The dog even has a tiny eyelash! The silhouette carries a stamp of authenticity within the frame and on the backing board.
The silhouette is presented in a period bird’s eye maple veneer frame with a gilt (bit tarnished) slip.
Finding himself exiled in England with a wife and young family to support, Augustin Edouart (1788-1818) opened a shop in Cheltenham selling French curios and artificial flowers but the venture was short-lived and a bankruptcy notice was published in May 1826. He had also tried his hand at creating pictures of animals and landscapes out of hair. These found favour with HRH Duchess of York who commissioned portraits of her beloved dogs. The work was, however, time-consuming and so not cost-effective. But all was not lost, as Edouart discovered he had an aptitude for cutting silhouettes and, third time lucky, this venture proved hugely successful. He spent the next fifteen years travelling around the British Isles cutting thousands of profiles including many authors, musicians, politicians and royalty before setting sail to the United States where again he found much favour and success.
Framed Size: 193 x 184mm
Provenance: The Artist's Scrapbook
Wigs on the Green has dated this piece to the 19th Century.
Small portraiture of character & historical interest
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Wigs on the Green Profile Page
Augustin Edouart, Cut Silhouette of a Dog on a Chair
