Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (La Reine Élisabeth de Belgique)
1917
Medium
etching, drypoint, and printed tone on Arches laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 30.3 x 24.7 cm (11 15/16 x 9 3/4 in.) sheet: 35.7 x 28.5 cm (14 1/16 x 11 1/4 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Bell, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art
Accession Number
1991.28.12
Art Historical Context
Albert Besnard's * Elisabeth of Belgium (La Élisabeth de Belgique, created in 191, captures the poised elegance of Belgium's queen during the harrowing years of World War I. a prominent French artist renowned for his portraits and decorative works, Besnard immortalized Elisabeth, who became a symbol of resilience amid the German occupation of her country. She was celebrated for her humanitarian efforts, including nursing wounded soldiers, making this etching a poignant wartime tribute to royal fortitude and compassion. Executed in etching, drypoint, printed tone on fine Arches laid paper, the...
About the Artist
Albert Besnard
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...