Banks of the Somme near Amiens (Bord de la Somme pres d'Amiens) 

Alphonse Legros made this etching, *Banks of the Somme near Amiens*, using a metal plate, acid, and ink. An etching is inherently reproducible; it is a printmaking process. The artist would have covered a metal plate with a waxy, acid-resistant substance, then scratched away lines to expose the metal, and finally dipped the plate in acid to bite those lines. Ink is then pressed into the grooves and transferred onto paper. The resulting print, like this one, would appear delicate, almost like a pencil drawing. But don't be fooled by the apparent simplicity of the scene, or of the process. The artist’s choice of etching suggests a subtle, deliberate process, not unlike the slow, repetitive labor of the solitary figure navigating the Somme. The artist isn't simply depicting a landscape; he's also reminding us of the unseen work that shapes our world. Legros is not just showing us a scene, but hinting at broader social issues. He challenges our perception of both labor and art.