Head of a Man (Tete d'homme)
1826 to 1850
Medium
etching
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
1952.10.57
Art Historical Context
Alphonse Legros, a French-born artist who later became a prominent figure in British art circles, created *Head of a Man (Tête d'homme)* during the mid-19th (ca. 1826–1850). This intimate etching captures the essence of its subject through bold, expressive lines, showcasing Legros's mastery of printmaking. As a key practitioner of Realism, influenced by masters like Rembrandt, Legros elevated etching from mere reproduction to a medium for profound psychological portraiture, blending French precision with a dramatic, almost sculptural depth. Etching, Legros's favored technique, involves incisi...
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...