Artwork
Cardinal Manning, 2nd plate
Cardinal Manning, 2nd plate is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Alphonse Legros. It dates from 1874 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Alphonse Legros produced the lithographic portrait titled *Cardinal Manning, 2nd plate* in 1874. The work presents a side view of the elderly cardinal, rendered in a concise, study‑like manner that emphasizes the contours of his face, the texture of his hair, and the drape of his collar.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures Cardinal Henry Edward Manning, a leading figure in the Roman Catholic Church in England during the mid‑19th century. By portraying him in a straightforward, unembellished style, Legros foregrounds the cardinal’s dignified presence without resorting to overt symbolism.
Technique & Style
Executed as a lithograph, the print relies on the artist’s direct drawing on a prepared stone surface, later transferred with ink onto paper. Legros employs loose, rapid lines and subtle shading to suggest form, giving the portrait the appearance of a quick observational study rather than a finished, highly detailed rendering.
History & Provenance
Legros, a French‑born artist who settled in London in 1863 and later naturalised as a British citizen, was active as a painter, etcher, sculptor and medallist. His involvement in British art education, particularly his advocacy for etching, situates this lithograph within his broader effort to revive printmaking practices in the United Kingdom.
Context
Created during a period when portraiture in print media was often used to disseminate the likenesses of notable public figures, the work reflects both the technical possibilities of lithography and the Victorian interest in documenting religious and civic leaders.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
