Artwork
Woman with a Vase (La femme au vase)
Woman with a Vase (La femme au vase) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Paul-Albert Besnard. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art. Albert Besnard’s 1894 print, titled *Woman with a Vase* (La femme au vase), is an etching and aquatint executed in brown on laid paper.
About this work
Overview
Albert Besnard’s 1894 print, titled *Woman with a Vase* (La femme au vase), is an etching and aquatint executed in brown on laid paper. The work measures a modest size typical of late‑19th‑century prints and presents a quiet interior scene rendered in monochrome tones.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a seated woman positioned near a window, a small plate resting on her lap. Soft daylight filters from outside, illuminating her face and lending a gentle glow, while the surrounding curtains and walls recede into darker, textured shadows. Her hair is pulled back, her posture relaxed, suggesting a moment of calm introspection.
Technique & Style
Besnard employed a combination of etching and aquatint, using acid to incise lines into a metal plate and then applying a granular aquatint ground to achieve tonal areas. The resulting image is characterized by layered, somewhat rough marks that convey both shadow and light with a sketch‑like quality, a method commonly embraced by printmakers of the period.
History & Provenance
Created in 1894, the print belongs to the later phase of Besnard’s career, when he explored printmaking alongside his more familiar paintings. While specific ownership records are limited, the work has appeared in several catalogues of Besnard’s prints and is held in public collections that focus on French graphic art of the fin de siècle.
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
