The Dog Braque with all her Family 1758

Curator: This is Jean Daullé's "The Dog Braque with all her Family." Look at how the artist uses line. Editor: It evokes a sense of warmth and domesticity, the textures of fur and straw are so palpable. What materials did he use? Curator: Daullé, who lived from 1703 to 1763, rendered this image with engraving. Notice the linear precision, particularly in the dog’s fur and the adjacent basket. Editor: The engraving perfectly conveys the relationship between mother and pups. It also highlights the relationship between the labor of making the print and portraying the family's rest. Curator: Yes, the contrast between the sharp lines of the engraving and the soft forms within creates a striking visual tension. Consider also the use of dark and light to give the scene depth. Editor: It really makes you think about the conditions needed for nurturing new life, even if the setting is a modest barn, captured through the work of a master engraver. Curator: Absolutely, it's a piece that invites prolonged observation and contemplation. Editor: I agree. It is a testament to the enduring appeal of depicting the material realities of animal motherhood.