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Drawing

1892 (made)
Artist/Maker
Alphonse Legros (artist)
Place of origin
London (made)

Self portrait drawing, torn into 8 pieces and reconstructed.

Object details

Categories
Portraits
Drawings
Object type
Drawing
Materials and techniques
pencil
Pencil
Sketching
Brief description
Alphonse Legros. Self-portrait. London, 1892.
Physical description
Self portrait drawing, torn into 8 pieces and reconstructed.
Dimensions
  • Height: 5.875in
  • Width: 6in
Credit line
Given by Miss Jessie Mothersole
Object history
This drawing was torn into eight pieces and thrown away by Legros in 1892, and was obtained by Miss Mothersole as described by herself in the following way: "I entered the Slade as a very young student, straight from school, and one day I was waiting in the Professor's room to see him. I saw a torn piece of paper lying at my feet with some drawing on it. I picked it up and there could be no doubt as to what it was. It had been aimed at the waste-paper basket and had missed. On the top of papers in the basket I saw the rest, so I picked them out. At that moment, Mr. Slinger entered the room, and I showed him my trophy, saying 'I've been stealing. What will you do to me?' He replied very stiffly, but with a twinkle in his eye: 'Miss Mothersole, it is not my concern to know what happens to the contents of the Professor's waste-paper basket.' I took this to mean I could keep the fragments, and I did."
Bibliographic reference
Victoria and Albert Museum, Department of Engraving, Illustration and Design and Department of Paintings, Accessions 1937, London: Board of Education, 1938.
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
E.635-1937

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O734800/drawing-alphonse-legros/
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