Edge of a Forest in Bourgogne (Un coin de foret en Bourgogne)
1826 to 1850
Medium
etching and drypoint
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of George Matthew Adams in memory of his mother, Lydia Havens Adams
Accession Number
1946.4.26
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the serene landscapes of Bourgogne, France, *Edge of a Forest in Bourgogne (Un coin de foret en Bourgogne)* by Alphonse Legros the quiet poetry of nature from the mid-19th century (ca. 1826–1850). Legros, a French-born artist who later became a prominent figure in British art circles, often drew inspiration from his native region's rolling hills and dense woodlands. This print evokes the intimate beauty of a forest's edge, highlighting his keen eye for atmospheric detail and natural light filtering through the trees. Rendered in etching and drypoint, the work showcases Legros's mas...
About the Artist
Alphonse Legros · 1837–1911
Alphonse Legros (1837–1911) was born in Dijon, France, and trained in Paris at the drawing school of Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran, whose unconventional teaching method — which emphasised memory drawing and acute observation over academic convention — would leave a lasting mark on Legros's practice. At Lecoq's school he formed friendships with Jules Dalou and Auguste Rodin that endured throughout hi...