Ludovic-Napoléon LEPIC

Ludovic Lepic was a lover and breeder of dogs, and canine subjects account for some of his most charming works as a painter, draughtsman and printmaker, particularly in the early part of his career. Indeed, at his Salon debut in 1863 he showed three etchings of dogs. One of his first well-known prints, published the same year in a portfolio issued by the Société des Aquafortistes, was of a similar subject to the present sheet. Entitled Pour les pauvres (For the Poor), the etching depicted a beggar’s dog with a paper sign around its neck. It was singled out for praise by an English critic the following year, in an account of the prints published by the Société des Aquafortistes: ‘Many of M. Lepic’s drawings of dogs are spirited and fine. This dog’s face is eager and intelligent, and really very well done. The wiry texture of the hair is quite truly given, and the bright eyes beg eloquently for the poor dog’s poor master.’

The letter carried by the dog may be translated as follows: ‘My dear Bol, there is awful weather again and again, and one doesn’t know where to blow one’s nose. The chimneys are smoking, the rain is coming in through closed windows and doors, so it is freezing inside as well as out. This morning, the Customs officer came to tell me that there was a beautiful wreck on the Chemin des Anglais. I got there quickly and found a lot of people chatting about it, trying to guess what it might be. I went into the water and there was indeed a big thing that looked like a ship’s [?], but which I quickly recognised as a whale rib. It was the right catch, and I immediately tied a rope to it to bring it ashore; we pulled and pulled as hard as we could, and so hard that the rope broke, and there we were, my entire crew with their backsides in the water. As they were mostly women, the men were delighted. So I have my rib, and I can assure you that if the one that God the father took from the side of Adam to make a woman looked like this one, the fair sex is beautifully built and made of the right material. My bone was large, measuring at least 3 meters, and I hung it from the ceiling of my room, where it makes the most beautiful ornament. This evening, I went to the cabin, as it was thawing the ice cracked under me and I took [?] a [?] of [?] full. I locked myself in my hide with my dog and at the break I did a double hit on some ducks. I sent the dog after them, he took one and [?] he dropped the first one to come back to the second which he caught in his leg. The first one still had some strength and tried to fly. Bobo dropped his duck and went back to the first, which flew out from under him, he quickly went back to the second, which also flew off. The poor animal was going crazy. Having these 2 ducks in his mouth [?] came to bring them back, which seemed to him to be quite an astonishing thing. [?][?] I was able to find one that had hidden in the weeds; as for the other, it will have died in [?] without benefit to anyone. My africanis continues his services, jumping out of the window on the 1st floor at least once a day; he will certainly break a leg one of these mornings. I haven't sailed since my last [?] I must admit I’ve had enough for the moment [?] of 8 frozen men. That leaves you with my sad imagination and I confess that I still have a few figures in front of my eyes. When you have a moment give me some news! You must have plenty to tell me. [?][?] was a success. I took it for you. Farewell my dear Bol. I beg and charge Clairon, the son of Trompette, to bring you this letter and I hope he will fulfil his mission by being well-mannered, knowing his place in the world and not forgetting himself in front of the furniture or behind the curtains. Try not to tire yourself too much, if you can, and above all I wish you every success. My love to you. Count Lepic.’