Philippe Jacques De Loutherbourg – The Good Little Sister – Engraving – Signed

Engraving that the artist titled "The Good Little Sister," the original version of wich is dedicated to the Viscountess d'Arcy, and is kept at the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC (United States). This is a later version of the work.
It shows a young woman helping a toddler drink a bowl of milk. The child is holding a piece of bread in his hand, eaten by his dog. To the right of the young woman are farm animals, Loutherbourg's favorite subjects: an ox, a donkey, a sheep. The scene takes place in a stable.

In the lower left margin, is written "Drawn and engraved by PJ Loutherbourg, Painter of the King." The engraving is clean, without foxing or tears. It is placed in an elegant chocolate marie-louise, under glass. It is presented in a stuccoed giltwood frame with rounded corners, from the first half of the 20th century.

The artist
Philippe Jacques de Loutherbourg was born in Strasbourg in 1740 into a family of artists. He trained in painting and engraving with his father. He completed his apprenticeship in Paris with Francesco Casanova and Carle Van Loo. Admitted to the Royal Academy of Painting in 1767, he was also appointed painter to Louis XV on August 22, 1767, a title he held until his departure for England in 1771. He initially specialized in landscapes and battle scenes, revealing an early talent for depicting movement and dramatic effects.

His work as an engraver in France deserves special attention. Trained by his father, Philippe-Jacques de Loutherbourg the elder, himself a miniaturist and engraver from Basel, the young artist quickly mastered the techniques of printmaking. His engravings often reproduced his own pictorial compositions, helping to disseminate his style to a wider audience.

In 1771, Loutherbourg settled permanently in England, attracted by the artistic opportunities London offered. This migration marked a decisive turning point in his career. He quickly became a member of the Royal Academy of Arts in 1781 and developed a personal style that synthesized French art and British tastes.
As a painter, Loutherbourg excelled in romantic landscapes and seascapes, anticipating the aesthetic of the sublime that would characterize British art. His canvases capture meteorological phenomena and natural disasters with remarkable intensity. He had a lasting influence on Turner and Constable.
Philippe de Loutherbourg died in London in 1812.

Work visible at the gallery (07240)
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