Where can I see Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier)?

Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier)?

Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier) is associated with Romanticism.

Can I buy a print of Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier)?

Museum-quality prints of Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier)

Alphonse Legros , 1874

Return of the Fagot-gatherer, 2nd plate (Le retour du fagotier) 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’s 1874 lithograph *Return of the Fagot‑gatherer, 2nd plate* presents a solitary laborer moving along a forest path while shouldering a sizable bundle of firewood. Rendered in muted browns and grays, the image relies on strong contour lines to define the figure, the surrounding trees, and a lightly clouded sky.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a moment of everyday rural activity: a fagot‑gatherer returning from the woods with his load. By focusing on a single, unadorned figure, Legros highlights the modest, repetitive labor that sustained countryside communities, offering a quiet glimpse into 19th‑century agrarian life.

Technique & Style

Executed as a lithograph, the work employs bold, decisive lines that contrast with the subdued tonal palette. The artist’s handling of texture—particularly in the bark of the trees and the folds of the man’s clothing—creates a tactile sense of depth while maintaining the flatness characteristic of printmaking.

History & Provenance

Born in France, Legros relocated to London in 1863 and later naturalised as a British citizen. Though best known for his etchings and sculpture, his lithographic output contributed to the revival of printmaking in Britain, a movement he supported through his teaching at the Royal Academy.

Context

The image aligns with mid‑19th‑century interests in rural genre scenes, reflecting a broader Romantic fascination with the simplicity and authenticity of country life. Legros’s choice of a solitary laborer underscores contemporary concerns about the dignity of work amid rapid industrialisation.