Head of a Gamekeeper 1837 - 1911

Editor: So, this drawing is called "Head of a Gamekeeper," created by Alphonse Legros sometime between 1837 and 1911. It's done in pencil, charcoal and some print work. The cross hatching creates quite an effect. What catches your eye when you look at this piece? Curator: The gamekeeper's hat casts a deep shadow on his face, doesn't it? Look how it shrouds his eyes. Hats, throughout history, often serve as potent symbols of identity and social standing. This humble headwear speaks volumes, though, of his profession, his relationship to nature, to land, and even, potentially, to a lord of the manor. What do you think he sees every day? Editor: Hmm, probably a lot of wildlife, I would imagine. And his expression... He doesn't seem particularly happy about it. Curator: Notice the lines around his mouth and eyes, though. They are deep, telling the stories etched on his face, almost like hieroglyphs. There is perhaps also a connection to Saint Peter, the guardian of the gate, don’t you think? Editor: Interesting. That’s not where I was going at all! It just struck me that there was sadness and exhaustion there, in the figure. It speaks of the weight of hard labour. Are you seeing him more as a symbolic figure rather than a real person? Curator: I think the power of the image is in that combination. We're drawn to it precisely *because* we can read multiple narratives at once, both personal and broadly cultural. The symbolism enhances rather than overshadows his humanity. Editor: I hadn’t considered the symbolic implications, I was purely looking at him from a figurative point of view. That’s really helpful! Curator: Yes. And think, how the choice of charcoal and pencil to emphasize earth tones connects the figure further to the landscape he inhabits. It pulls it all together! I think I was reading into it something connected to enduring labour. Editor: This has completely transformed how I see the work, thank you!