Artwork
Getting Up (Le lever)
Getting Up (Le lever) is an ink print by Paul-Albert Besnard. It dates from 1913 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Albert Besnard’s 1913 print Getting Up (Le lever) is an etching executed on Canson laid paper. The work presents a dimly lit interior where two women are depicted in a moment of intimate activity, rendered with a stark, unrefined line quality that conveys immediacy.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures a private scene: one figure sits on a bed, pulling up her dress, while a second woman stands nearby, gazing downward. The juxtaposition of movement and stillness, along with the subdued lighting, suggests a narrative of vulnerability and quiet observation within a confined space.
Technique & Style
Besnard employed traditional etching methods, incising the image onto a metal plate and using acid to bite the lines. The resulting ink impressions on paper are marked by dark, jagged strokes and rough textures, giving the print a sense of urgency and spontaneity that contrasts with more polished etchings.
History & Provenance
Created in the pre‑World War I period, Getting Up reflects Besnard’s exploration of everyday subjects through printmaking. While specific ownership records are limited, the work is catalogued among his early 20th‑century prints and has been exhibited in collections focusing on French etching of the era.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
Le repos du modèle (4e planche) (The Model's Rest) (fourth plate)
Going to Bed (Le coucher)
The Murder (Le Meurtre)
Susanna im Bade (Susanna in the Bath)
Going to Bed (Le coucher)
Misery (La Misère)
Pélerin du monde sublunaire (Pilgrim of the sublunary world)
Joseph und Potiphars Weib I (Joseph and Potiphar's Wife I)
Two Girls
The Toilette (La toilette)
Venus
Getting Up (Le lever)