Braque Saint Germain - G. Benoist 1944

📜 Description
Original etching titled “Braque Saint Germain,” created by G. Benoist in 1944, engraved by A. Collot and published in Paris by Éditions Arc en Ciel, depicting a hunting dog in a classic pointing stance. The work belongs to the editorial context of the volume “Nos chiens de l’avenir (…)”, conceived for the documentation and standardization of dog breeds, and holds clear descriptive and classificatory value. The composition presents a single canine subject shown in profile, with an elongated, balanced body and a forward, alert posture typical of pointing dogs; the anatomical structure and coat markings are rendered with careful observational accuracy. The setting is reduced to a minimal ground line with sparse grass, isolating the figure and enhancing the legibility of the breed’s defining characteristics. The image fulfills a documentary and didactic function, consistent with 20th-century cynological illustration. Technique: etching.

📚 Historical-artistic note
In 20th-century publishing, works devoted to cynology often relied on the collaboration between designers and engravers to establish precise visual standards for dog breeds. G. Benoist, as author of the model, and A. Collot, as engraver, operate within this framework, producing images of scientific and descriptive intent. The Paris-based publisher Éditions Arc en Ciel contributed to the circulation of specialized material aimed at breeders and enthusiasts, reinforcing the role of illustrated prints as tools for classification and study.

🧾 Technical sheet
Type: original etching
Author / Maker: G. Benoist
Designer / Engraver: A. Collot
Publisher / Printer: Éditions Arc en Ciel, Paris
Place: Paris
Period: 1944
Material: paper
Technique: etching
Subject / Title: Braque Saint Germain
Dimensions: sheet 23.5 × 30.5 cm; plate 17.5 × 24 cm
Marks / signatures / inscriptions: title and editorial references to the publication “Nos chiens de l’avenir (…)”

🔍 Condition Report
Overall in excellent condition. The paper is well preserved, with a stable surface and only minimal signs of handling consistent with age.