"Since Then" ("Depuis ce temps-la")
1826 to 1850
Medium
drypoint on light green paper
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of George Matthew Adams in memory of his mother, Lydia Havens Adams
Accession Number
1952.10.51
Art Historical Context
Alphonse Legros a prominent French etcher and painter active in late 19th century, *Since Then* (*Depuis ce temps-là*), a poignant drypoint print dated between 1826 and 1850. This title hints at themes of nostalgia or reflection on bygone eras, rendered with Legros's characteristic precision and emotional depth. As part of the 19th-century etching revival, Legros bridged Realism and Symbolism, drawing inspiration from masters like Rembrandt while infusing his works with a modern sensitivity to light and texture. The medium—drypoint on light green paper—is especially noteworthy. Drypoint invol...
About the Artist
Alphonse Legros · 1837–1911
Alphonse Legros (1837–1911) was born in Dijon, France, and trained in Paris at the drawing school of Horace Lecoq de Boisbaudran, whose unconventional teaching method — which emphasised memory drawing and acute observation over academic convention — would leave a lasting mark on Legros's practice. At Lecoq's school he formed friendships with Jules Dalou and Auguste Rodin that endured throughout hi...