The Double Bass Player c. 1873

Alphonse Legros’s “The Double Bass Player” (c. 1873) is a masterful etching depicting a musician in a moment of contemplation. The artist uses a variety of hatching techniques to create a sense of depth and texture, particularly in the subject's beard and the double bass. Legros, known for his melancholic portrayals, captures a sense of solitude in the figure's posture, as he rests his hand on a book while gazing intently at the instrument. This print, housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, exemplifies Legros's skill in capturing the essence of his subjects.