His Eminence Cardinal Manning, 1st plate 

Alphonse Legros created this etching called 'His Eminence Cardinal Manning' with a keen eye for line and form. A somber mood is immediately evident from the work's monochromatic palette and the subject's austere expression. Legros masterfully employs hatching and cross-hatching to model the Cardinal's face, capturing the gravitas and age through detailed lines. The texture of the cloak is depicted with a series of parallel lines that lend a sense of depth and volume, contrasting with the smoother areas to direct the viewer's gaze. The composition, strictly symmetrical, focuses on the Cardinal's upper body, drawing attention to his hands and face. This semiotic system, where each element - the hat, the robe, and the book - signifies religious authority and scholarship. The formal construction of the artwork thus serves a dual purpose. It renders a realistic likeness and conveys a deeper narrative about power, faith, and representation, inviting a continued interpretation of its cultural and historical context.