Death of the Vagabond 1879

"Death of the Vagabond" is a powerful etching by Alphonse Legros created in 1879. The artwork depicts a vagabond lying beneath a gnarled tree, his head thrown back in a final gasp. The stark realism of the scene, executed in a stark chiaroscuro palette, evokes a sense of loneliness and despair. This print, now held by the Art Institute of Chicago, is a poignant example of Legros's mastery of the etching technique and his exploration of the human condition.