Artwork
Greeting Grandmother (Le Bonjour à la Grand-mère)
Greeting Grandmother (Le Bonjour à la Grand-mère) is an ink print by Paul-Albert Besnard. It dates from 1926 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Albert Besnard’s print, Greeting Grandmother (Le Bonjour à la Grand‑mère), dates from around 1926.
About this work
Overview
Albert Besnard’s print, Greeting Grandmother (Le Bonjour à la Grand‑mère), dates from around 1926. Executed on Arches laid paper, the work combines several intaglio methods to create a quietly dramatic interior scene in muted tones.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents two figures within a dimly lit room. A woman in a dark dress stands with her arms extended, her back turned toward the viewer, suggesting a greeting. In the foreground, a seated woman cradles an infant, her gaze directed downward, evoking a tender, domestic moment.
Technique & Style
Besnard employed a mixture of etching, drypoint, false‑biting, and soft‑ground etching, allowing for a range of line qualities—from fine, delicate strokes to richer, velvety shadows. The layered processes produce subtle gradations of tone, enhancing the sense of depth and atmospheric gloom.
History & Provenance
Created in the mid‑1920s, the print reflects Besnard’s ongoing exploration of printmaking techniques. While specific ownership records are limited, the work is catalogued among his later prints and has appeared in several exhibitions of early‑20th‑century French graphic art.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
