Head of a Man with Curly Hair and Beard

Art Historical Context

Behold *Head of a Man withly Hair and Beard*, compelling graphite drawing by Alphon Legros, created sometime between 1826 and1850. This intimate portrait study captures the textured curls and robust beard of its subject with remarkable precision, showcasing Legros's skill as a draftsman during his formative years. Rendered on laid paper—a traditional medium with distinctive horizontal laid lines visible under light—the work measures approximately 38.5 x 29.2 cm, inviting close inspection of its subtle tonal gradations. Legros, a French-born artist who later became influential in Britain, was ...

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...