Artwork
Iza Sleeping (Le Sommeil d'Iza)
Iza Sleeping (Le Sommeil d'Iza) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Paul-Albert Besnard. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Albert Besnard’s 1885 print, Iza Sleeping (Le Sommeil d’Iza), is executed in etching and aquatint on laid paper.
About this work
Overview
Albert Besnard’s 1885 print, Iza Sleeping (Le Sommeil d’Iza), is executed in etching and aquatint on laid paper.
Albert Besnard’s 1885 print, Iza Sleeping (Le Sommeil d’Iza), is executed in etching and aquatint on laid paper. The monochrome image captures a dim interior where a solitary figure lies collapsed amid tangled drapery, while another figure holds a candle that supplies the sole illumination. Heavy curtains and a large mirror frame the scene, contributing to an atmosphere of stillness and subdued light.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a moment of quiet fatigue or repose: the prone individual appears exhausted, perhaps after a long vigil, while the standing figure offers a modest source of light. The interplay of darkness and the candle’s glow suggests themes of solitude, contemplation, and the fragile boundary between wakefulness and sleep.
Technique & Style
Besnard combines traditional etching with aquatint to achieve delicate line work and tonal variation. Fine incised lines render the texture of fabric and hair, while the aquatint washes create soft shadows that deepen the interior’s gloom. The limited palette of black and white emphasizes contrast, allowing the candle’s illumination to become a focal point within the overall muted tonality.
History & Provenance
Created in 1885, Iza Sleeping belongs to Besnard’s early printmaking period, when he explored atmospheric effects through intaglio processes. The work has been documented in several catalogues of the artist’s oeuvre and is held in public and private collections that specialize in 19th‑century French prints, reflecting its continued relevance to scholars of the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
