Portrait of Comte Lepic 1876

Marcellin Desboutin created this print of Comte Lepic using drypoint, a technique that allows for deep, velvety lines. Note the presence of the artist’s easel on the left and, behind Comte Lepic, the depiction of a dog. In ancient Egypt, dogs were revered and seen as guardians, accompanying souls into the afterlife. We see the image of dogs re-emerge in the classical world as symbols of fidelity and protection, and in the Middle Ages as symbols of loyalty, often featured on family crests. Consider the intense gaze of the dog depicted in the background, and then the gaze of Comte Lepic himself, directed at the viewer. In psychoanalytic terms, the eyes are the windows to the soul, aren’t they? This emphasis on direct eye contact with the viewer conveys an emotional force. It is a silent, yet powerful invitation to connect with the inner world of the subject, creating a subconscious bond that transcends time. And so, the dog motif, from ancient protector to a symbol of loyalty, resurfaces here, adapted and imbued with new emotional weight, in this compelling 19th-century portrait.