Artwork
Little Marie
Little Marie is a print by the Impressionist artist Alphonse Legros. It dates from 1875 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Alphonse Legros’s print titled Little Marie dates from 1875 and is part of the collection at the Cleveland Museum of Art. The work presents a youthful figure rendered in a compact composition, offering a glimpse of nineteenth‑century portraiture in a modest, intimate format.
Subject & Meaning
The image portrays a young girl with rounded cheeks and a solemn gaze. Her hair is gathered back and she wears a plain white collar, suggesting a modest, perhaps domestic setting. The seriousness of her expression invites contemplation of childhood innocence tempered by the social expectations of the period.
Technique & Style
Legros employs a loose linear approach combined with careful shading to model the girl’s facial features and clothing. The contrast of light and dark creates a subtle chiaroscuro effect, giving the figure a sense of volume and three‑dimensional presence despite the print’s limited tonal range.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑1870s, Little Marie entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition (specific details of the purchase are not recorded in the source). Its presence in the museum’s print collection reflects the institution’s broader interest in European graphic works of the late nineteenth century.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
