1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Thinker (Le penseur) is a 1874 ink by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows an old man sitting on a rock, deep in thought. His head is in his hands, and he’s wrapped in a heavy coat. Behind him, a curtain or cloth hangs loosely, with a few faint letters visible on it. The lines are rough and busy, giving everything a textured, almost scratchy look. The artist used a mix of sharp lines and shading to make the figure stand out against the background. The way the light and shadow play on the coat and rock adds depth, even though it’s just a drawing. If you like this style, check out *etching, drypoint, aquatint* to see how these techniques work.
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
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