Artwork

Man and Wife Seated by the Road with a Basket(Homme et femme assis au bord de la rou te aven un panier)

Man and Wife Seated by the Road with a Basket(Homme et femme assis au bord de la rou te aven un panier) 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

Man and Wife Seated by the Road with a Basket is an 1874 etching by Alphonse Legros, a French-born artist active in Britain. The work features a couple seated beside a road, accompanied by a basket, characterized by scratchy, uneven lines and a rough, textured appearance achieved through the drypoint technique.

Subject & Meaning

The etching portrays a humble, everyday scene of a seated couple, dressed in heavy coats and hats, surrounded by dense, wild vegetation. One figure holds a basket while the other rests an arm on their knee, conveying a sense of quiet, everyday life.

Technique & Style

Legros employed drypoint to create the etching, resulting in deep, web-like marks that resemble tangled vines or expressive brushstrokes. This technique contributes to the work's distinctive, textured visual quality.

History & Provenance

Created in 1874, the etching reflects Legros's role in the revival of etching in Britain, where he had resided since 1863. As a multi-disciplinary artist, Legros's printmaking contributions were pivotal in this artistic resurgence.