1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Birch Trees: Water's Edge Seen in Morning Light (Les bouleaux: Bord de l'eau, effet du matin is a 1874 ink by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a row of tall birch trees along a water’s edge. The branches are thin and wispy, drawn with quick, light lines that make them look almost alive. The ground is a mix of tangled roots and grass, all rendered in simple black marks against a pale background. The artist used loose, sketchy strokes to capture how light hits the trees in the morning. It feels quick, like a first draft rather than a finished drawing. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how artists use acid and needles to create these kinds of prints.
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
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