Alphonse Legros

Place: Dijon

Born: 1837

Death: 1911

Biography:

Alphonse Legros was a renowned French painter, etcher, sculptor, and medallist, born on May 8, 1837, in Dijon, France. His father was an accountant from the neighboring village of Véronnes. As a young man, Legros visited his relatives' farms, which later became the subjects of many of his works.

Early Life and Training

Legros began his artistic training at the art school in Dijon, where he was apprenticed to Maître Nicolardo, a house decorator and painter of images. In 1851, he left for Paris to take another situation but passed through Lyon, where he worked as a journeyman wall-painter under the decorator Beuchot. Legros studied with Charles-Antoine Cambon, a scene-painter and decorator of theaters, and attended the drawing school of Lecoq de Boisbaudran, also known as the "Petite école."

Artistic Career

Legros sent two portraits to the Paris Salon in 1857, one of which was accepted and presented to the museum at Tours. This work caught the attention of Champfleury, who sought out Legros to enlist him in the "Realists," a group around Gustave Courbet. In 1859, Legros's L'Angelus was exhibited, marking the beginning of his series of church interiors for which he became best known. Notable Works Some of Legros' notable works include Interior of a Church with kneeling Figures, created in 1860, and Rehearsing the Service, painted in 1870. These paintings showcase his ability to capture the essence of the human experience.

Later Life and Legacy

Legros moved to England in 1863 and married Frances Rosetta Hodgson in 1864. He became a teacher of etching at the South Kensington School of Art and later the Slade Professor at University College, London. Legros picked up the art of etching by watching a college in Paris working at a commercial engraving and taught himself the making of medals.

• Legros' pupils included the Casella sisters (Ella and Nelia), Fedora Gleichen, Lilian Swainson (later Hamilton), and Elinor Hallé.
• He considered the traditional journey to Italy an important part of artistic training and gave part of his salary to augment the income available for a traveling studentship.

Legros died in Watford in 1911, leaving behind a legacy as a talented artist and educator. His works can be found in various museums, including the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, United Kingdom, and the Tate Gallery in London, United Kingdom. Important Links: https://Wikioo.org/@/Alphonse-Legros https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/O/A@D3CKPD https://Wikioo.org/Art.nsf/Art_EN?Open&Query=alphonse+legros,alphonse,legros& Note: The provided links are relevant to the topic and can be used for further research on Alphonse Legros and his works.