Karel Dujardin (c.1626-1678) - Boy Playing a Violin with Dogs (The Savoyard)

Etching. Second state of two.

Crisp, well-inked and well-printed impression on fine laid paper.

"Boy Playing a Violin with Dogs" or "The Savoyard" is a fascinating work for a number of reasons. Apart from being one of the most charming prints by Karel Dujardin, where the suggestion of the Mediterranean atmosphere, marked by light and space, is particularly accomplished, it is one of the rare cases where the artist's etchings and paintings intertwine.
The print is closely related to "The Wandering Musician" (https: //www. christies. com/en/lot/lot-6350107) , another example of Dujardin’s ability to evoke the languid mood and southern light of the Mediterranean.
In both works, a young boy plays the violin with a dog as his sidekick, standing bolt upright on its hind legs, its front paws outstretched and tail between its legs, clearly performing to the music as part of the boy’s repertoire.
By using the well-trained dog, Dujardin might have wanted to emphasize its "leersucht" (desire to learn) . The dog served as a metaphor, which Dujardin further clarified by including the two badly behaved dogs that were still untrained.

For an interesting analysis of the present work, see the review on the website of Fondation Custodia: https: //www. fondationcustodia. fr/19-Karel-du-Jardin-855

References: Bartsch 1. 192. 51(52) ; Hollstein 52. II.

Condition report: Excellent condition. Mounted on a cardboard.