Pigeon Tower (La tour aux pigeons)
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Pigeon Tower (La tour aux pigeons) is a 1874 ink by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a simple scene of a small stone tower surrounded by trees and bushes. The lines are rough and textured, giving everything a scratchy, almost fuzzy look. The tower sits on a grassy hill, with a few bushes in front and trees on either side. The artist used a technique that leaves lots of tiny marks and lines, making the image feel hand-drawn and alive. This style was popular in the 1800s for its expressive, almost sketchy quality. Next, look up technique: etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how artists create these kinds of textures.
