Boris O'Klein , handcoloured engraving signed in pencil, Naughty Dogs of Paris series. Ref. AR1

Called  the "Naughty Dogs of Paris" this series of etchings was created by an artist who went by the name "Boris O’Klein" or “Jean Herblet" - the name he used for his more serious art around the 1950’s. His real name was Arthur Boris Klein (1893 – 1985) and, although he was born in Moscow, Russia, his ancestors were French.  Growing up in Moscow, it was his mother who taught him art. His family emigrated  back to the Alsace, in France, when he was still a boy . After serving on behalf of the French in World War I, he  eventually moved to Paris. Boris became a successful magazine illustrator in Paris during the 1930s. The story goes that he spent hours watching the stray dogs in the streets outside his studio and realized that their personalities weren’t all that different from people. He was inspired to create a few cartoons of the dogs doing what dogs do… peeing on trees, chasing female dogs etc. 

The dog cartoons were just a lark.  The ‘Naughty Dogs” series of engravings, thought to have been produced in the 1930’s era, were all hand coloured in watercolour.They became hugely popular and today are very collectible.

His signature varied considerably, from A. Klein written in block letters during the 1923-24 period to a more flamboyant signature in 1928 when the ‘A” Klein metamorphosed into O Klein and by 1929, he included the apostrophe after the ‘O’. O'Klein's period of greatest activity as an artist was during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s.

Many of these prints appear to be have been produced in O'Klein's later years and after his death, and are still produced to this day by his grandson. However, it is not that difficult to identify, the modern prints are on a pure white background, and hand coloured in very strong, vibrant colours.  The genuine old engravings show more pastel colors and the paper has more of a brown tone. 

This is a vintage signed  original etching by Boris O'Klein of the ‘Naughty Dogs of Paris’ series.  The frame, possibly the original, is in fair to poor condition (some splits in the frame) but still serviceable and measures  51.5cm in wide x 23.5cm in height. The print was removed (to check for fishmoth)  and the glass cleaned and re-assembled. The print itself shows some overall toning, some slight foxing, but is in good to fair condition.

To the bottom left is an  inscription (in pencil) "a la Queue" meaning "Get in Line" and to the bottom right we find his signature (also in pencil) showing the apostrophe.

Please note, I am NOT a qualified archaeologist/antiquarian and the description I have given is based on research of the subject. 

Price R400.00 Post R70.00 

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