Artwork
Head of an Old Man
Head of an Old Man is a crayon 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
Created in 1874, *Head of an Old Man* is a lithographic print enhanced with crayon that presents a side view of an elderly figure. The work captures the texture of age through swift, gestural lines and subtle shifts in tone, emphasizing the immediacy of the sketch rather than a finished, polished portrait.
Subject & Meaning
The composition isolates the profile of an aged man, his hair rendered in loose, untamed strokes, a pronounced nose, and a mouth caught in a slight opening. The raw handling of the features conveys a sense of vulnerability and the passage of time, inviting contemplation of the individual’s lived experience.
Technique & Style
Legros combined traditional lithography with direct crayon and pencil applications, allowing darker areas to emerge against a light ground. The quick, sketch‑like lines and varied tonalities illustrate his interest in expressive drawing, while the retouching adds depth and contrast that heighten the figure’s three‑dimensional presence.
History & Provenance
Born in France, Alphonse Legros moved to London in 1863 and later naturalised as a British citizen. By the 1870s he was active in multiple media, and his teaching played a pivotal role in the resurgence of etching in Britain. *Head of an Old Man* reflects his interdisciplinary practice during this period.
Context
The print emerges from a broader 19th‑century revival of printmaking techniques in Britain, where artists sought to balance academic training with more spontaneous, observational approaches. Legros’s work aligns with this shift, integrating the immediacy of drawing with the reproducibility of lithography.
Artist & collection
Artist
Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.
