Who painted A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap?

A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap was painted by Paul-Albert Besnard in 1892.

Where can I see A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap?

A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap?

A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap

Paul-Albert Besnard , 1892

A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap is an ink print by the Romanticist artist Paul-Albert Besnard. It dates from 1892 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Albert Besnard’s 1892 print, titled A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap, is a proof impression taken from an earlier stage of the work.

Albert Besnard’s 1892 print, titled A Nude Woman in a Fur Wrap, is a proof impression taken from an earlier stage of the work. Executed in etching combined with dry‑point on wove paper, the image presents a solitary female figure seated on a low‑backed couch, enveloped only in a fur mantle. The composition is rendered in a restrained palette of dark tones, emphasizing line and texture over colour.

Subject & Meaning

The central figure is a nude woman whose disheveled dark hair frames a downward gaze. She sits with her legs crossed, the fur draped loosely over her body, while her right arm bends toward her face, hand poised near the cheek. The intimate pose and the contrast between the softness of the fur and the starkness of the nude suggest a private, contemplative moment, inviting reflection on vulnerability and sensuality.

Technique & Style

Besnard employed both traditional etching and the more immediate dry‑point method, allowing for fine, incised lines and rich, velvety burr that capture the texture of the fur and the softness of skin. The print’s dense network of scratches creates a chiaroscuro effect, deepening the shadows of the couch and wall while highlighting the figure’s contours. The use of wove paper provides a smooth surface that accentuates the delicate tonal variations.

History & Provenance

Created in the early 1890s, the work reflects Besnard’s exploration of the nude genre during a period when printmaking was gaining renewed artistic interest in France. As a proof impression from an earlier state, the print offers insight into the artist’s developmental process, showing alterations made before the final edition. It has since been held in private collections and occasionally appears in exhibitions focusing on late‑19th‑century French printmaking.