Auguste Poulet-Malassis, 2nd plate 

Alphonse Legros created this print, "Auguste Poulet-Malassis, 2nd plate," using etching techniques. Notice how the subject emerges from a background of dense, horizontal lines, a stark contrast against the lightly rendered jacket. Legros masterfully uses line to define form and texture. In the face, densely packed, multidirectional lines create a sense of depth, capturing the contours and textures of skin and beard. This meticulous detail contrasts with the relatively blank space of the jacket, focusing our attention on Poulet-Malassis's face. The horizontal lines in the background create a sense of flatness, pushing the figure forward. This contrast highlights a key tension in printmaking: the balance between surface and depth, figure and ground. Legros is not just creating a likeness but also exploring the structural possibilities of the medium. He plays with semiotic expectations, inviting us to look beyond mere representation and to consider how the artwork itself generates meaning through its formal qualities. It's a study in how minimal means can evoke maximum presence.