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 image shows a dark forest scene with tangled trees and branches. In the middle, a small figure walks alongside a donkey, both moving through the thicket. The lines are scratchy and uneven, creating a rough, almost chaotic texture. The artist used a technique that lets ink fill the carved lines, making the dark branches pop against the lighter background. This style was popular in the 1800s for its dramatic, emotional feel. Next, look up etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how artists create these textures.
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
See the richer artist page
