1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Farmer and His Donkey (Le fermier et son ane) is a 1874 ink by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows two tall trees framing a small figure walking a donkey. The trees are made of tight, swirling lines that fill the whole background, while the donkey and person are simpler, almost hidden in the shadows. The paper has a yellowish tint, and the lines vary from light scratches to deep, dark marks. The artist used a technique where they scratched directly into the metal plate, leaving behind both sharp lines and fuzzy textures. This method lets you see how the pressure changed as they worked. Next, look up technique: drypoint to see how artists create similar effects.
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
See the richer artist pageYour cart is empty
Explore artworks →
