Crowd of People Seen between Two Columns [verso] 

Alphonse Legros captured this image of a “Crowd of People Seen between Two Columns” in graphite and gray wash on paper. Legros, who was a teacher, moved from France to London during a period of increased industrialization and urbanization in England, which influenced his approach to art. The sketch hints at the isolation of the individual within a group. The figures are pressed together, yet there is a palpable sense of detachment, each person seemingly lost in their own thoughts. Gender and class dynamics add further layers of meaning; the ambiguous clothing of the crowd suggests a mix of social classes, while the predominantly male figures imply a narrative of public life dominated by men. There is a melancholic feeling about this piece, a sense of individuals caught between the anonymity of the crowd and their own private experiences. Legros invites us to reflect on the intersections of personal identity and collective existence, which remain relevant in our increasingly interconnected world.