A Swarm of Flies above a Spider's Web
Trained as a history painter, Leloir eventually abandoned academic, historical subjects in favor of genre scenes and book illustrations. He also founded the Société des Aquarellistes Français (Society of French Watercolorists). This delicate study contrasts the airy two-dimensional form of the spider’s web anchoring the lower left corner with the lifelike swarm of flies above, their size varied to suggest their placement in space, some nearer and some farther from the viewer.
Artwork Details
- Title: A Swarm of Flies above a Spider's Web
- Artist: Alexandre-Louis Leloir (French, Paris 1843–1884 Paris)
- Date: 1860–84
- Medium: Pen and brown ink with graphite on chine collé
- Dimensions: sheet: 11 3/16 x 8 11/16 in. (28.4 x 22.1 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Gift of Amy and Emma Welcher and Alice Welcher Erickson, 1967
- Object Number: 67.844.5
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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Alexandre-Louis Leloir
1872
Alexandre-Louis Leloir
1843–84
Alexandre-Louis Leloir
19th century
Alexandre-Louis Leloir
1872
Théodore Gericault
1820–22
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