1874
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Valley in Bourgogne (Une vallee en Bourgogne) is a 1874 ink by Alphonse Legros, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a dark, tangled forest with thick trees and bushes crowding around a winding river. The lines are scratchy and deep, making the scene feel wild and uneven. Light barely cuts through the branches, leaving most of the valley in shadow. The artist used a tool to carve into the metal plate, creating those rough, textured lines—a method called drypoint. It’s not just a landscape; it’s a mood, like the forest is breathing. Look up drypoint to see how this technique works.
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
