Alphonse Legros

Dalou (1838-1902) was the son of a glove maker and initially trained in drawing at the Petit École in Paris. In 1854 he entered the École des Beaux-Arts, where he trained for four years. He was known for his left-wing political sympathies and was involved in the establishment of the Paris Commune in 1871. After its overthrow he was forced into exile in London, where he lived from 1871 until his return to Paris in 1879. In London he frequently exhibited at the Royal Academy and he was given a teaching appointment at the National Art Training School in South Kensington (later the Royal College of Art), where he had a profound effect on the development of British sculpture.

Legros (1837-1911) worked as a decorative painter before studying at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. He was impressed by early Netherlandish art and Holbein, later by Courbet, and from 1859 was associated with Whistler and Fantin-Latour. In 1863 Legros moved to London, where he enjoyed the patronage of Constantine Alexander Ionides, and became Professor of Fine Art at the Slade School of Art, and a British citizen. He was also a prolific etcher, and a medallist.