Alphonse Legros

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Photo by Alphonse Legros 1887

Alphonse Legros (born May 8, 1837 in Dijon , † December 7, 1911 in Watford , Hertfordshire ) was a British painter and etcher of realism and medalist with French roots.

life and work

Legos attended the l'École des Beaux-Arts in Dijon and became an apprentice to Master Nicolardo, a portrait painter. Convinced of his ability, the painter Jean Baptiste Beuchot from Lyon accepted Legros into his studio in 1851 , to whom he assisted in decorating the chapel by Cardinal Bonald. After six months Legros went to Paris and attended the Petite Ecole (the future École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs), where he met Jules Dalou , Auguste Rodin and Henri Fantin-Latour . He made friends with James McNeill Whistler in evening classes at the École des beaux-arts de Paris . Legros studied there at the École des Beaux-Arts until 1855 and was also a student of Horace Lecoq de Boisboudran . With the support of his teachers, Legros made his debut in 1857 at an exhibition in the Paris Salon with a portrait of his father. During this time Legros began to deal intensively with the art of etching. He also made the acquaintance of his colleague Gustave Courbet and was soon one of his circle of artists.

In the spring of 1862 Legros went on a study trip through Spain for almost a year. From this he brought a lot of sketches and studies, which later formed the basis of numerous pictures.

The Burnt Victims (Victimes de l´incendie) , etching on paper

Legros returned to France in the winter of 1862/63. He joined the "Société des Aquafortistes" founded in 1862. This artists' association had set itself the goal of promoting the art of etching. They published their own catalog. In the spring of the following year he went to Great Britain at the invitation of Whistler and settled in London and later in Watford. In 1864 he married Miss Frances Rosetta Hodgson. He became an etching teacher at the South Kensington School of Art . In 1876 he succeeded Edward Poynter as professor at the Slade School of Fine Art at University College .

He received British citizenship in 1881 and taught at University College for 17 years.

In 1880 he and other artists founded the Society of Painter-Etchers and Engravers in order to establish etching and engraving as recognized art forms. Although he was heavily influenced by the English artists Charles Holroyd , Charles Shannon and Charles Strang and closely observed the British "art scene", he remained an outsider throughout his life in England, but was the most influential teacher of William Rothenstein .

Alphonse Legros died on December 7, 1911 at the age of 74 in Watford, Hertfordshire.

Works (selection)

Communion
Engraving by Alphonse Legros 1895

Oil paintings

  • Communion
  • Angelus (1859)
  • The stoning of Saint Stephen (gallery in Avranches)
  • Monks in prayer
  • The Declaration of Honor (Musée du Luxembourg, Paris)
  • The Pilgrimage (Gallery in Liverpool)
  • A Spanish monastery
  • The Blessing of the Sea (1873)
  • Baptism
  • The tinker
  • The girls' school

Etchings

publication

Web links

Commons : Alphonse Legros  - collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Legros, Alphonse in: L. Forrer: Biographical Dictionary of Medallists, Volume III, London 1907, p. 375 ff.
  2. ↑ Jean-Baptiste Beuchot
  3. ↑ Lecoq de Boisbaudran - Portail des collections des musées de France
  4. ^ Société des Aquafortistes. Eaux-fortes modern. Oeuvres inédites et originales. Première Année. 1862-1863 Publisher: Cadart & Luquet, Paris
  5. ^ History of the Slade School of Fine Arts in London

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literature

Legros, Alphonse in: L. Forrer: Biographical Dictionary od Medallists, Volume III, London 1907, p. 375 ff.

personal data
SURNAME Legros, Alphonse
BRIEF DESCRIPTION British painter of realism
DATE OF BIRTH May 8, 1837
PLACE OF BIRTH Dijon
DATE OF DEATH December 7, 1911
Place of death Watford , Hertfordshire