Funny genre scene with a child and her begging dog was executed in 1870 by famous Belgian painter Theodore Gerard (1829-1895). Theodore

Gerard was a nineteenth century Belgian painter who specialised in delightful genre scenes. His inspiration was drawn principally from the charms of rustic life. He also occasionally painted picturesque historical costume pieces. Gerard began his artistic education in his hometown, enrolling as a pupil of the Ghent Academy. Like many Belgian artists of the day, he travelled to the new nation´s capital Brussels, seeking his fame and fortune there in 1863. He deepened his experience by travelling around Germany and the Austro-Hungarian Empire and began exhibiting internationally. His paintings were awarded medals in Philadelphia in 1870, in London in 1871, in Vienna in 1873 and in Brussels in 1875. Having established an important reputation for his charming genre scenes, Gerard was made a professor at the Belgian national school of art, the Brussels Academy of Fine Arts.

The work of Theodore Gerard is represented in the Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Ghent, the Coutrai Museum and the Koninlijk Museum voor Schone Kunsten, Antwerp.

Literature: Thieme/Becker "Allgemeines Lexikon der bildenden Künstler von der Antike bis zur Gegenwart", online Wikipedia.

Inscription: signed and dated 1870 lower right, original plaquet with the name of the artist.

Technique: oil on wood panel, original period gold-plated frame.

Measurements: w 8 2/3" x h 11" (22 x 28 cm), framed w. 14 1/3" x h 17" ( 36,5 x 43 cm).

Condition: in very good condition.