The Triumph of Death: Departure (Le triomphe de la mort: Le depart) 

Alphonse Legros made this etching, "The Triumph of Death: Departure," in 19th century France, a time of rapid social and political change. Here, we see a skeletal figure of Death, scythe in hand, riding a horse through a crowd of people. They brandish a variety of weapons, pitchforks, flags, and hammers, ready to fight. Legros evokes the medieval "danse macabre," reminding us of the universality of death, across all social classes. France in the 19th century saw massive urban growth and social restructuring. The art world was increasingly institutionalized with academies and state-sponsored exhibitions shaping artistic careers. Legros, though trained in this system, often depicted the lives of the working class. This print, though allegorical, may reflect the social anxieties and revolutionary spirit of his time. To understand this work more deeply, one might research popular imagery of death, the social conditions of 19th-century France, and the institutional structures that shaped Legros' artistic career. Only then can we appreciate the complex social and cultural context that gave rise to this powerful image.