1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Old man, Old Tree (Vieil homme, vieil arbre) is a 1874 ink by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows an old man sitting under a gnarled tree. His head is bowed, hands resting on his knees. The tree’s twisted branches fill the background, tangled and thick. The whole scene is in black and white, with sharp, scratchy lines that make the bark and hair look rough. The artist used a technique that lets ink fill the grooves left by the tool, creating a textured look. This style makes the tree and the man’s wrinkles feel almost alive. Check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how artists create these deep, scratchy 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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