Artwork
The Dairymaid of Boulogne (Third Plate)
The Dairymaid of Boulogne (Third Plate) is a print by the Impressionist artist Alphonse Legros. It dates from 1884 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Alphonse Legros’s print entitled The Dairymaid of Boulogne (Third Plate) dates from 1884 and is part of the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. Executed as an intaglio work, it presents a solitary figure in a rural landscape, captured with a quiet, observational tone that reflects the artist’s interest in everyday labor.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts a woman, cloaked and hooded, leaning against a staff while a donkey stands beneath a heavy bundle of sacks. The barren trees and soggy ground suggest a damp, late‑season setting. The load, likely containing milk or other farm produce, underscores the physical demands of rural work and conveys a moment of stillness amid toil.
Technique & Style
Legros employed a fine line engraving technique, allowing subtle gradations of tone that render the mud‑slicked earth and the texture of the animal’s harness. The composition’s restrained palette and precise draftsmanship align with the realist tendency of the late nineteenth century to depict ordinary subjects without romantic embellishment.
History & Provenance
Created in 1884, the print entered the Cleveland Museum of Art’s holdings through acquisition in the early twentieth century, though the exact path of ownership prior to that remains undocumented. Its presence in the museum’s print and drawing department reflects the institution’s commitment to representing European realist printmaking of the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
