Small Satyr Mask (Petit masque de satyre) 

Alphonse Legros created this print, Small Satyr Mask, using etching techniques. The print is dominated by the satyr's head, rendered with a dense network of lines. This formal arrangement evokes a somber, almost melancholic mood. Legros uses hatching and cross-hatching to define the satyr's features and create tonal variations. Notice how the lines follow the contours of the face, emphasizing its three-dimensionality. This technique not only sculpts the form but also imbues it with a sense of depth. We can read the satyr's downward gaze as more than just visual information; it suggests introspection, inviting us to contemplate the satyr's inner state. The rough texture, achieved through the etching process, adds to the overall feeling of rawness. It destabilizes our expectations of classical beauty, presenting a more human and vulnerable figure. The satyr's mask, therefore, becomes a site of ongoing interpretation, oscillating between the classical and the contemporary.