Jules Dalou, 2nd plate 

Alphonse Legros created this etching, "Jules Dalou, 2nd plate". Legros and Dalou were both part of a generation of artists navigating the social and political currents of 19th-century France. Both men, identifying with the burgeoning Realist movement, found themselves exiled in London following the Franco-Prussian War and the tumultuous Paris Commune of 1871. Legros, like many artists of his time, was deeply affected by the rapid industrialization and urbanization of Europe, which led to new social structures. He sought to capture the dignity of the working class and the marginalized. This portrait of Dalou speaks to the intersection of artistic identity and political conviction. Legros captures Dalou's intellectual intensity, and also hints at the sculptor’s commitment to social justice and his involvement with radical politics. In its quiet way, this etching becomes a testament to the enduring power of art as a form of solidarity.