Auguste Rodin

Art Historical Context

In 1900, French artist Albert Besnard created striking etching and drypoint portrait of contemporary, the renowned sculptor Rodin. Besnard, celebrated for his paintings and murals infused with Symbolist influences, captured Rodin at the height of fame, just as works like *The Thinker and *The Gates of Hell* were revolution sculpture. This intimate print offers a glimpse into artistic camaraderie of fin-deècle Paris, where innovators like Rodin challenged classical traditions with raw emotion and form. The medium—etch and drypoint on wove paper—highlights Besnard's mastery of printmaking. Etching involves drawing through a wax ground on a metal plate, etched by acid to create precise lines, while drypoint adds a soft, velvety burr from direct needle scratches, lending texture and depth to Rodin's intense gaze and furrowed brow. Measuring a modest 23.3 x 16.5 cm in its image area, the work's delicate scale invites close viewing, emphasizing the tactile richness possible in intaglio prints. Housed in the National Gallery of Art as a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Bell, this piece underscores the era's cross-pollination between sculpture and printmaking, immortalizing Rodin's brooding genius in a reproducible yet personal form. A testament to artistic mutual admiration, it remains a gem for admirers of modern portraiture.

About the Artist

Albert Besnard · 1849–1934

Paul-Albert Besnard, known as Albert Besnard, was born on June 2, 1849, in Paris to an artistic family: his father, Louis Adolphe Ferdinand Besnard, was a history painter and pupil of Ingres, while his mother, Marie Louise Pauline Vaillant, was a noted miniaturist trained under Lizinska de Mirbel. Precociously talented, he began his training under Jean-François Brémond before entering the École de...