1874
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Centaur Carrying a Tree Trunk is a 1874 graphite by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a half-man, half-horse creature—called a centaur—lying on its side. It holds a thick tree trunk over its shoulder, like it’s carrying it. The lines are loose and scratchy, with lots of shading made by crisscrossed strokes. The centaur’s fur and the tree trunk are drawn with quick, uneven lines, giving it a rough, almost sketchy feel. The background has some grass and branches, but they’re barely there. If you like this style, check out cross-hatching to see how artists build shading with lines.
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
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