The Blind Beggar by Jules Bastien-Lepage

This magnificent oil on canvas explores the universal theme of childhood fatigue and animal companionship with a rare dramatic intensity. We discover a moving popular figure painted by Jules Bastien-Lepage under the temporary designation of “The Blind Beggar*”. The author’s naturalist sensitivity is expressed through the rigorous observation of destitution and animal loyalty at the heart of the street. The scene exudes a soft melancholy and a profound humanist poetry.

A little boy with short hair sleeps peacefully sitting on the dirt ground, leaning against the facade of a stone house. He is dressed in a dark tunic and patched trousers whose torn fabric reveals his skin at the knee. His hands rest on a long dark wooden cane while his worn shoes are placed carelessly near his bare feet. At his feet, a white poodle with curly hair is extended at full length, its head resting on the ground in an attitude of total abandonment. Behind them, a brown leather box and a large blue shutter complete the composition under soft lighting.

The painter demonstrates an impressive technical virtuosity in restoring the animal’s ruffled coat and the roughness of the dirt ground. The discrete contrasts between the blue of the shutter and the earthy tones of the decor demonstrate a finished science of color harmony. This work dazzles with its authenticity.