Cast of a Net (Le coup de filet)

Besnard employed the traditional etching process, incising the image onto a metal plate before transferring it onto vellum. The marks are rapid and scratch‑like, creating a sense of movement and texture that mimics the turbulence of waves and the frayed fibers of the net. The line work is deliberately rough, enhancing the immediacy of the scene.

Created at the turn of the twentieth century, the print reflects Besnard’s interest in everyday subjects rendered with expressive line. While specific ownership details are limited, the work is catalogued among his early printmaking experiments and has been exhibited in collections focusing on French etching of the period.