Repos au bord de la Rivière |
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Original etching and drypoint.
Signed in pencil.
Bliss/Malassis & Thibaudeau 621 i/ii
S 190 x 279 mm; P & I 150 x 248 mm
SOLD
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Very rare. One of only 2 early proof impressions printed in the first state of the plate. From the Knowles collection, and from the collection of Frank E. Bliss, author of the leading catalogue on the printed works of Alphonse Legros. Superb signed proof impression, carefully printed to maximise the contrast between the dark foreground lines and the delicate etched lines of the more distant trees.
Alphonse Legros was the single most influential European printmaker upon the development of the etching revival in England. Born in Dijon, Alphonse Legros was pursuaded to move to London by Whistler, whom he had met in Paris. Alphonse Legros rapidly achieved recognition for his highly accomplished etchings and in 1875 was placed in charge of the etching class at the Royal College in South Kensington and the following year was made Professor of Fine Art at the influential Slade School. It was during his eighteen years in this post that Alphonse Legros was to exert a formidable influence upon the direction of an entire generation of British printmakers.
This view of French peasants beside a placid waterway, fringed with trees is the archetypal Legros landscape.
Provenance: Collection of C. J. Knowles, Esq.
Collection of Frank E. Bliss, Esq.
With their respective collector’s stamps at the lower right corner of the sheet. On cream laid paper, watermarked O.W.P & A.C.L, with full margins and deckle edge. Excellent original condition. |
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