1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Head of a Man (Tete d'homme) is a 1874 ink by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a close-up portrait of an older man with a long white beard and mustache. His face is mostly in shadow, but you can see deep wrinkles and tired eyes. The background is completely black, making his face stand out sharply. The artist used a technique that creates fine lines and textures, giving the print a grainy, almost sketchy look. This wasn’t painted—it was etched into a metal plate. Want to learn more about how this kind of print was made? Try etching.
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
