The Swordsman And His Dog

Remarkable large watercolor by Antonio Canella (1849-1922), representing a swordsman placing his baldric, adjusting his sword, in front of his greyhound, who is worried about his departure. This work is linked to the historicist movement of painting, so fashionable in the mid-19th century. The virtuosity of the execution of this work is perfect, the blues shine in the darkness of the place, and the representation of the dog hesitating in front of its master is full of sensitivity. We know another version of this watercolor, this time  the subject placed in front  of a tapestry, against a backdrop of nature. Antonio Canella is an Italian artist renowned for his historical genre scenes. An old label recalling the presence of this work in an English collection, on the back of the old backing box and attached to the shipment, a 19th century gilded frame with keys adorns the whole advantageously.