Artwork

La Ferme de Brieux (Effect d'orage) (Farm at Brieux in a Storm)

La Ferme de Brieux (Effect d'orage) (Farm at Brieux in a Storm), by Alphonse Legros, ink, 1874
La Ferme de Brieux (Effect d'orage) (Farm at Brieux in a Storm), by Alphonse Legros, ink, 1874

La Ferme de Brieux (Effect d'orage) (Farm at Brieux in a Storm) 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 drypoint print *La Ferme de Brieux (Effect d'orage)* in 1874. Executed on wove paper, the image presents a solitary farmstead set against a turbulent sky, emphasizing the contrast between the modest architecture and the surrounding tempest.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a rural farmhouse perched on a hill, surrounded by dense trees and uneven ground. Dark, swirling lines dominate the heavens, suggesting an approaching storm that envelops the landscape, evoking the vulnerability of agrarian life to natural forces.

Technique & Style

Legros employed drypoint, a printmaking method in which a needle incises lines directly into a metal plate. The resulting burr yields soft, velvety edges, giving the sky and foliage a hazy, atmospheric quality that heightens the sense of movement and weather.

History & Provenance

Born in France in 1837, Legros moved to London in 1863, where he became a central figure in the British etching revival and taught at the Slade School of Fine Art. *La Ferme de Brieux* reflects his active engagement with printmaking during this period of his career.

Context

The work aligns with 19th‑century interests in rural subjects and the dramatic effects of light and weather. It also demonstrates the cross‑channel exchange of artistic ideas, as Legros brought French training to the burgeoning British print scene.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Alphonse Legros

Artist

Alphonse Legros

Alphonse Legros (French pronunciation: ; 8 May 1837 – 8 December 1911) was a French, later British, painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.