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CATALOGUE OF AN EXHIBITION OF ETCHINGS BY ALPHONSE LEGROS

Galleries of M. KNOEDLER & CO. 556 Fifth Avenue, near 46th Street October 2nd to 16th, 1915

ALPHONSE LEGROS Peintre et Graveur ~ AXY eulogistic articles have been written and many exhibitions held both in the Old and New Worlds of the works of this great master, but owing to the fact that they ap­ peal more to the artist than to the layman, and also that the number issued of the etchings is unusually small, the gen­ eral public have been unable to come in contact with and thereby study a representative collection of them except on very rare occasions. From Henri Beraldi, in his "Les Graveurs du XIX Siecle." we learn that there were six complete collections of the etchings of Legrosj viz., by MM. Seymour Haden, Jonides, Thibaudeau and Howard' in London and by MM. Burty and Malassis in Paris. Then, in a foot-note, he states there is an­ other complete collection—the most complete known—viz.: (we quote verbatim) "Rapport a l'Academie de Dijon, par Henri Chabeuf: juillet 1888. Cette Academic a decerne a Legros une medaille d'or. Le graveur n'a pas oublie sa ville natale: il a envoye au rnusee de Dijon une belle col­ lection de ses eaux-fortes. L'oeuvre de la Biblio- theque Nationale commence a se developper: il est a desirer qu'il soit pousse au complet. La collection la plus complete connue des eaux-fortes de Legros appartient actuellement a M. T. G. Arthur, de Glas­ gow." (The nucleus of this collection came from the "Thibaudeau" purchased in 1887.) This "most complete collection known," made by M. T. G. Arthur, Ayr, Scotland, has since been dispersed, and we are fortunate in being able to show a number in this exhibit. Alphonse Legros was born, as indicated above, in Dijon, ancient capital of la Bourgoyne, .the prin­ cipal city of the Department of the Cote-d'Or, the 18th of May, 1837. He first studied in l'ecole des Arts in his native city, going to Paris in 1851, enter­ ing the studio of the painter-decorator Cambon; from there to l'ecole Municipale de dessin, and in 1855 to l'ecole des Beaux-Arts. His first exhibit in the Salon was in 1857, the year that he became enamoured with etching, in which medium he was a constant student and worker ever after. He left France in 1863 to settle in England, where his work was more appreciated than in Paris. There they made him Professor of Engraving and Etching in the school of South Kensington. He also occupied in the University College, London, the Chair found­ ed by Slade for the Education of Art, an appoint­ ment which he owed to his friend, Sir Edward Poynter, P. R. A., who was then holding this Pro­ fessorship. He was a born teacher and counted every pupil as his friend. Finally he became a naturalized Englishman, and passed away, mourned by the art world, December 8th, 1911. Mr. Paul Burty Haviland aptly expresses Legros' work, when he writes in an article in The Print- Collectors' Quarterly upon Legros, that the key­ notes of his work are sincerity, sympathy and power. Legros' etchings and lithographs number over 400. CATALOGUE The number at the end of each title refers to the print's number in the catalogue of Legros' etchings by the artist's son. Mr. L. A. Legros, published in Paris, 1904, with an introduction by Monsieur Gustavc Soulier. The states given, however, are in accordance with a more recent revision.

1. PORTRAIT OF VICTOR HUGO, NO. 12. Third state. From the Jules Gerbeau Collection.

2. £TUDE DE TETE DE'HOMME, 20. Third state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

3. PORTRAIT OF F. REGAMEY, 22. Fourth state. Duplicate from the F. E. Bliss Collection. Another in the same state from the T. G. Arthur Collection.

4. TETE DE MODELE, 26. Fourth state. From the Jules Gerbeau Collection.

5. PAYSAX BRETON. 29. First state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

6. PAYSAX BRETON, 29. Third state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

7. GRAND PORTRAIT OF THOMAS CARLYLE, 34. Third state; only proof. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. 8. PORTRAIT OF M. JULES DALOU, 41. Seventh state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

9. PORTRAIT OF SIR E. J. POYNTER, P. R. A., 42. Fourth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

10. PORTRAIT OF S. E. LE CARDINAL MANNING, 43. Second state. Archeveque de Westminster.

11. PROCESSION DANS UNE £GLISE ESPAGNOLE, 49. Fifth state.

12. PROCESSION DANS UNE £GLISE ESPAGNOLE, 49. Seventh state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

13. LA MESSE DANS UNE £GLISE ESPAGNOLE, 51. From the T. G. Arthur and Poulet-Malassis Collections. Rare.

14. LA MORT DE ST. FRANCOIS, 56. Third state. From the T. G. Arthur and Philipps Burty Collections.

15. LA MORT DE ST. FRANCOIS, 56. Fourth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

16. LA SORTIE DE LA PROCESSION, 57. First state; rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. IJ. Lies CHANTRES ESPAGNOLE, 59. Fourth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

18. LES PESTIFERES UE ROME, 60. Only state.

19. LE LUTRIN, 62, No. 2. Second state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

20. LE BAPTE.ME, 65. Third state, 50 impressions. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

21. LE BATTEME, 65. Fourth state.

22. JOB, 67, No. 1. Fifth state. From the Poulet-Melassis and T. G. Arthur Collections.

23. LE MENDIANT, 70. Second state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

24. LES PECHEURS D'FXREVISSES, 74. Second state; rare. From the Poulet-Melassis and T. G. Arthur Collections.

2-,. LE MANEGE, 75. Fifth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. LE VOYAGEUR A L'ABRIA, 83. Fifth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

LES MENDIANTS ANGLAIS, 85. Seventh state. From the Poulet-Melassis Collection.

LA PECHE AU TAMBOUR, 91. Only state known; only about six proofs printed. Duplicate of the F. E. Bliss Collection. From the Collection of Rev. Stopford A. Brooke.

LES BUCHERONS, 95. Fourth state; 100 proofs printed. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

LE PAYSAGE A LA MARE, 107. First state; exceedingly rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

LE PAYSAGE A LA MARE, 107. Fourth state; rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

LE PAYSAGE AUX MEULES, 108. Second state, 50 impressions; rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

LE COUP DE VENT, IIO. First proof in fourth state; very rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. 34- LE COUP DE VENT, no. Sixth state; very rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

35. LA VEII.LEE M OUT LA IRE, 125. Third state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

36. LE GEOGRAPIIE. 134. Only state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

$j. LE VOLEUR DE POIRES, 139, No. 2. First state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

38. LE VOLEUR DE POIRES, 139, No. 2. Fourth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

39. LA MORT DANS LE POIRER, 140. Third state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

40. LA MORT ET LE BOUCHERON, 141, No. 1. Second state; rare. Proof touched by artist with black chalk. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

41. SAINT-PIERRE ET SAINT-PAUL A LA PORTE DU BONHO.MME MlSERE, I45. Fourth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. 42. SAINT-PIERRE ET SAINT-PAUL A LA PORTE DU BONHOMME MlSERE, 145. Fifth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

43. LA VERITE SUR LE CAS DE M. VALDEMAR, 150. Only state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

44. BERENICE, 152, No. 2. Only state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

45. LE PUITS ET LE PENDULE, 154, No. 2. Only state. From the Philippe Burty and T. G. Arthur Collections.

46. LES ARCHERS, 165. Only state From the Philippe Burty and T. G. Arthur Collections.

47. TETE D'HOMME, 166. Third state; this is the 24th impression of the third state; there were 50 impressions in all states. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

48. SAINT-PIERRE ET SAINT-PAUL A LA PORTE DE M. RICHARD, 175. Third state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. 49- VIEILLARD AUX MAINS JOINTES, 176. Second state; very rare, perhaps only two proofs. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

50. POBTRAITE DE LliON GAMBETTA, 179, No. 2. Fourth state. There were six states; one in first, one in second and four in the third. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

51. LES FAISEURS DE FAGOTS, 182. Seventh state. There were fourteen states. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

52. TETE DE SOULIOTE, 186. First state; rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

53. PORTRAIT OF AUGUST POULET-MALASSIS (etched in 1878), 188. Second state. From the F. Goulding Collection.

54. L'ELAGUEUR, 197. First state; extremely rare. From the Collections of F. E. Bliss and F. Goulding.

55. PORTRAIT OF SIR F. LEIGHTON, P. R. A., 201, No. 1 fetched in 1879). Second state; rare. From the T. G. Arthur and R. Gueraut Collections. 56. PORTRAIT OF SIR F. LEIGHTON, P. R. A., 204, No. 2. Third state. There were fifteen printed in the second state and very few in the third. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

57. LA SIESTE D'UN OUVRIES, 217. First state. This was the first proof from the plate; two proofs only printed. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

58. PAYSAGE DE TOURBIERES, DANS LES MARAIS, 220. Second state.

From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

59. LE PECHEUR DE SAUMON, EFFET DU MATIN, 223. Third state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

60. LES ROCHERS, 228. Third state; very rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

61. PORTRAIT OF SIR FRED BURTON (INACHEVE), 232. First state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

62. LA CHARITE, 235. Third state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

63. LE MENDIANT, 236. Second state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. 64. PORTRAITE OF AUGUSTE RODIN, 237. First state; rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

65. PORTRAIT OF SIR SEYMOUR HADEN (MEZZO­ TINT), 238. First state; very rare; probably unique. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

66. PORTRAIT OF SIR SEYMOUR HADEN (MEZZO­ TINT), 238. Second state; very rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

67. PORTRAIT OF SIR SEYMOUR HADEN (MEZZO­ TINT, 238. Third state; rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

68. LES BORDS DE LA LIANE, 240. Fourth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

69. LE VASE AUX MASQUES, D'APRES UNE TERRE Cum-: D*ALPIIONSE LEGROS, 243. Second of four states; rare. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

70. MABTEAU DE PORTE, 251. First state; 10 proofs of this state and two later states. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. 71. LES BOROS DE I .A VENELLE, 308. Second state; there are three states, 18 im­ pressions in all. We have two impressions; one from the T. G. Arthur Collection, the other from the F. R. Bliss Collection, both in the second state.

72. LES BORDS DE LA YANNE, 311. Second state, SO impressions; there are three in the first state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

73. LES BOULEAUX, BORD DE L'EAU: EFFET DV MATIN, 325. First state, about 28 proofs in this state: there are two other states. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

74. PORTRAITE OF HECTOR BERLIOZ, 331. Fourth State, 22 impressions; about eight printed of the other states. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

75. PAYSAN ANGLAIS, 332. Third state, IS impressions in all. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

76. LES VIEILLES CARRIERES DE MONRAGUE. 351. Only state, 22 printed. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. yy. FERME DU BIENHEUREAUX, 361. Fifth state, 10 impressions. From the F. E. Bliss Collection. yS. LA PLAIN;:, 362. Ninth state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

79. LA FEMME DU MARCHE, 375. Second state. No. 2 of 9 impressions in this state. Only one impression was printed in the first state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

80. LE FORGERON, 395. Only state. 10 printed. This is the second im­ pression. From the T. (r. Arthur Collection.

81. PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST, 412. Only state, 30 impressions. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

82. PORTRAIT OF TOLSTOI, 4:5. Rare. This is No. 3 of twelve proofs only.

ST,. PORTRAIT OF H. W. LONGFELLOW, 427. Third state; three impressions in this state and eight in the third state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection.

84. PORTRAIT OF T. H. HUXLEY, 432, No. 3. Second state, two impressions; three impres­ sions in the first. From the T. G Arthur Collection.

85. PORTRAIT OF LORD TENNYSON, 433, No. 2. First state. 30 proofs; only one proof was printed in the second state. From the T. G. Arthur Collection. 86. LA MASURE SUR LA COLLINE, 435. Second state. From the F. E. Bliss Collection.

87. PAYSAGE, 441. Seventh state. From the F. E. Bliss Collection.

88. CHATEAU DES REVENANTS, 500. Second state, seven proofs only. Duplicate from the F. E. Bliss Collection.

89. FERME DE L'ABBAYE, 503. Fourth state, about 60 proofs in this state. Duplicate from the F. E. Bliss Collection.

90. LES RUINES DU CHATEAU, 512. Second state. This is No. 4 of six proofs. Duplicate from the, F. E. Bliss Collection.

91. LE TRIOMPHE DE LA MORT, 558. Second state.

92. LE HUNT DE LA COLLINE, 581. Second state, 30 impressions. From the F. E. Bliss Collection.

93. LES ARBRES AW BORD DE L'EAU, 600. Very fine impression. Duplicate from the F. E. Bliss Collection.