Artwork
Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre)
Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre) 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.
About this work
Overview
Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre) is a print created by Albert Besnard in 1885, utilizing a combination of etching, roulette, and drypoint techniques on laid paper in black ink.
Subject & Meaning
The print depicts a nude female model sleeping on her side, with her back turned towards the viewer. Her disheveled hair rests on a pillow, set against a minimalist backdrop featuring a bed frame and suggested curtains or walls.
Technique & Style
Besnard employed sharp, expressive lines to convey texture, evident in the model's hair, the pillow, and fabric elements. This approach imbues the scene with a sense of realism and unpolished immediacy.
History & Provenance
Created in 1885, specific details regarding the print's provenance and exhibition history are not provided in the available information.
Context
This work reflects late 19th-century artistic explorations of intimacy and everyday life. The use of etching, roulette, and drypoint speaks to the period's technical innovations in printmaking.
Legacy
The legacy of 'Model Asleep on the Floor' is not explicitly outlined in the provided sources, though it contributes to the broader understanding of Besnard's oeuvre and the era's printmaking practices.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
