Artwork
Fire, 3rd plate (L'incendie)
Fire, 3rd plate (L'incendie) 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
Fire, 3rd plate (L'incendie), an 1874 etching by Alphonse Legros, captures a dramatic scene of a burning building and the distress of two figures in the foreground.
Subject & Meaning
The etching conveys a sense of urgency and despair through the depiction of two huddled figures, one in apparent distress (head down, hands clasped) and the other expressing concern, set against the intense backdrop of a burning building.
Technique & Style
Characterized by rough, scratchy lines suggestive of rapid execution, the work utilizes a specific etching technique that allows for thick, dark ink accumulation, enhancing the overall sense of raw urgency.
History & Provenance
Created in 1874 by Alphonse Legros, a French-born British artist and key figure in the British etching revival, primarily through his teaching contributions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
The Tree of Salvation (L'arbre de salut)
The Tree of Salvation (L'arbe de salut)
The Adoration of the Shepherds (L'adoration des bergers)
The Adoration of the Shepherds (L'adoration des bergers)
The Triumph of Death: Proclamation (Le triomphe de la mort: La proclamation)
Woman at the Foot of the Cross (Femme au calvaire)
The Adoration of the Shepherds: a Night Piece
Beggars of Brussels (Les mendiants de Bruges)