Alphonse Legros - The Triumph of Death: Battle
Alphonse Legros - The Triumph of Death: Battle
ALPHONSE LEGROS
(1837-1911)
The Triumph of Death: Battle
Signed with initials l.r.: AL
Grisaille watercolour and pencil
20 by 43.5 cm., 8 by 17 in.
(frame size 52 by 74 cm., 20 ½ by 29 in.)
Provenance:
Collection of Charles Julius Knowles;
Collection of Frank Edward Bliss:
His sale, Christie’s London.
A painter, sculptor and etcher, Legros was born in Dijon where he studied at the Art School before entering the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. His early work was in the realist style of Gutave Courbet and was must influenced the scenes of rural poverty he had witnessed in his childhood. Sombre and somewhat macabre subject matter were to become a recurrent theme thought his work. In 1863, on the encouragement of his friend Whistler, he moved to London, eventually becoming a naturalized British subject in 1881. On his arrival in London, he first made a living from his paintings and etching and then became a teacher of etching at the South Kensington School of Art. In 1875 he became a highly influential Slade Professor of Fine Art (1875-1930).
This watercolour of The Triumph of Death: Battle (Le Triomphe de la mort: Le Combat) comes from two distinguished Legros collections. Charles Julius Knowles (1840-1900) was Russian born and settled in London in the early 1870s. On his death much of his collection of works by Legros was gifted the British Museum. American born Francis (Frank) Edward Bliss (1847-1930) moved to London in 1886. He created a famous collection of works by Legros which were sold by Christie’s London over three sales in 1913, 1920 and 1923.
This watercolour is accompanied by a signed copy of artist’s etching of the same subject (No.7 of 17 proofs, 2nd state).
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The Triumph of Death: BattleSigned with initials l.r.: ALGrisaille watercolour and pencil20 by 43.5 cm., 8 by 17 in.(frame size 52 by 74 cm., 20 ½ by 29 in.)Provenance:Collection of Charles Julius Knowles;Collection of Frank Edward Bliss:His sale, Christie’s London.A painter, sculptor and etcher, Legros was born in Dijon where he studied at the Art School before entering the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris. His early work was in the realist style of Gutave Courbet and was must influenced the scenes of rural poverty he had witnessed in his childhood. Sombre and somewhat macabre subject matter were to become a recurrent theme thought his work. In 1863, on the encouragement of his friend Whistler, he moved to London, eventually becoming a naturalized British subject in 1881. On his arrival in London, he first made a living from his paintings and etching and then became a teacher of etching at the South Kensington School of Art. In 1875 he became a highly influential Slade Professor of Fine Art (1875-1930).This watercolour of The Triumph of Death: Battle (Le Triomphe de la mort: Le Combat) comes from two distinguished Legros collections. Charles Julius Knowles (1840-1900) was Russian born and settled in London in the early 1870s. On his death much of his collection of works by Legros was gifted the British Museum. American born Francis (Frank) Edward Bliss (1847-1930) moved to London in 1886. He created a famous collection of works by Legros which were sold by Christie’s London over three sales in 1913, 1920 and 1923.This watercolour is accompanied by a signed copy of artist’s etching of the same subject (No.7 of 17 proofs, 2nd state).){kind=link}