Alphonse Legros, “Peasant Women in the Neighbourhood of Boulogne,” 1873

Alphonse Legros (1837–1911)
“Peasant Women in the Neighbourhood of Boulogne” (or “Paysannes des environs de Boulogne”), 1873

Technical Details & Condition:
Etching and drypoint with plate tone on wove paper, with wide margins. This print was published by Seeley & Co., London, in the art periodical edited by Philip Gilbert Hamerton, “The Portfolio,” in August 1873. This impression is from the published state: Bliss (1923) proposes state v (of v), and Malassis & Thibaudeau (1878) proposes state iii (of iii). The impression is richly inked and nearly faultlessly printed. The sheet is in pristine condition—free of tears, holes, folds, abrasions, stains, or handling marks.

Dimensions:
• Sheet: 38.1 x 28 cm
• Platemark: 22.8 x 15 cm
• Image borderline: 22.6 x 14.7 cm

Plate Lettering:
• Signed in the plate at the lower right corner: “A. Legros”

References:
• Bliss 80 (Frank E. Bliss, “A Catalogue of the Etchings, Drypoints and Lithographs by Professor Alphonse Legros (1837–1911) in the Collection of Frank E. Bliss,” 1923, London, p. 19, cat. no. 80)
• Malassis & Thibaudeau 80 (A. P.-Malassis & A.-W. Thibaudeau, “Oeuvre Gravé et Lithographie de M. Alphonse Legros,” 1878, Paris, J. Baur, pp. 51–52, cat. no. 80)
• British Museum: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1878-0511-78
• Cleveland Museum of Art: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1945.275
(Note: The catalogue entry for this print is listed as “Bliss 94,” which is incorrect and should be Bliss 80. The confusion likely arises from the similar title, even if the composition differs; see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1877-1013-2959.)
• The Museum of New Zealand (Te Papa Tongarewa) offers additional insights:
“Paysannes des Environs de Boulogne (Peasant women from near Boulogne) is an 1873 etching depicting three young peasant women seated together, their heads bowed and hands folded in contemplative prayer. At the feet of one is a small sack tied with string. The women sit in individual rustic chairs rather than pews, suggesting informal prayers in the home rather than a congregation. Their local dress, including distinctive bonnets and capes, signals their rural status, distant from the industrial modernity of the urban centre. The use of light line conveys the simplicity of the setting and the piety of the women.”
https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/object/44153

Price & Shipping:
AU$235 (approximately US$165.94 / €140.12 / £121.99), including worldwide express shipping.
Please note: Import duties and taxes are the buyer’s responsibility.

If you’re interested in this superb impression of a masterwork of etching—particularly noting the subtle tonal contrasts, such as the foreground figure’s proximity to the viewer compared to the distant seated figure, and the transition from contour marks to cross-hatching in the background—please contact me at oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com. I am happy to provide a secure PayPal invoice for a smooth and safe transaction.

This print has been sold