1884
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Dominant colour
La Mort et le Bûcheron (5th Plate) is a 1884 by Alphonse Legros, a Impressionism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This etching shows a man kneeling in a forest, sawing a fallen tree trunk. His wide-brimmed hat and rolled-up sleeves suggest hard work. The scene is simple: rough bark, scattered roots, and a quiet, shadowy background. The artist uses deep contrasts between light and dark to show the man’s effort. Notice how the shadows under his arms and the tree’s roots make the scene feel real and gritty. Next, look up chiaroscuro to see how this technique works in other art.
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
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