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A Swarm of Flies above a Spider's Web

1860–84
Not on view
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

Object Information
  • 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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Female Figure, Alexandre-Louis Leloir French, Watercolor
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Ceramic Horn, Glazed pottery, French
Ceramic Horn
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late 18th or early 19th century
A Lock on the Stour, David Lucas British, Mezzotint on chine collé; progress proof, touched with black ink, white chalk, and graphite
A Lock on the Stour
David Lucas
After John Constable
1830
In His Cups, Alexandre-Louis Leloir French, Watercolor
In His Cups
Alexandre-Louis Leloir
1872
The Connoisseur, Honoré Daumier French, Pen and ink, wash, watercolor, lithographic crayon, and gouache over black chalk on wove paper
The Connoisseur
Honoré Daumier
ca. 1860–65

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