Frontispiece to "Eaux-fortes de Guérard, Collection de Mr. S. P. [Samuel Putnam] Avery, New York" 1860 - 1897

This charcoal drawing by Henri-Charles Guérard, created between 1860 and 1897, is a frontispiece for a collection of etchings by the artist, owned by Samuel Putnam Avery. The piece depicts the deck of a steamship with a black cat perched on a crate marked "Eaux-fortes de Guérard, Collection de Mr. S. P. Avery," and a dog lying on the deck. The drawing is a study of light and shadow, and the details of the ship's structure are rendered with great precision. The inclusion of the cat and dog adds a touch of whimsy to the otherwise austere scene.