Plain (La plaine)
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Plain (La plaine) is a 1874 ink by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a flat, empty field with short grass and a few clumps of bushes. The lines are all soft and wavy, like wind blew across the paper. The light is dim, and the whole scene looks quiet and far away. The artist used a sharp tool to scratch into the metal plate before printing. Those lines make the grass look rough and the sky feel distant. Check out how etching works next—it’s how this whole drawing was made.
