Sunrise, Woods of Clamard (Lever du soleil, bois de Clamard) 

Alphonse Legros created this etching, Sunrise, Woods of Clamard, using delicate lines to capture a tranquil landscape. Legros was part of a generation of artists who challenged the established Salon system in France, and this print reflects a shift towards more personal and less overtly political subject matter. Made at a time when printmaking was gaining recognition as a fine art, it can be seen as a comment on the social structures that defined the art world. Legros was committed to expanding access to art education, and taught etching at the Slade School of Fine Art in London. To understand this work more deeply, we might explore the rise of landscape art in 19th-century France, the printmaking revival, and the role of art institutions in shaping artistic careers. By examining these contexts, we can appreciate how this seemingly simple image speaks to broader cultural and institutional shifts.