The Rape (Le Viol)
c. 1886
Medium
etching on Van Gelder laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 31.9 x 24.8 cm (12 9/16 x 9 3/4 in.) sheet: 50.9 x 32.3 cm (20 1/16 x 12 11/16 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
1992.59.16
Art Historical Context
Albert Besnard's *The Rape (Le Viol)*, created around 1886, is a striking etching on Van Gelder laid paper, a premium Dutch paper prized for its texture and durability in fine printmaking. Measuring 31.9 x 24.8 cm on the plate, this work exemplifies Besnard's mastery of intaglio techniques, where acid etches intricate lines into a metal plate to produce rich, velvety tones and dramatic contrasts. The larger sheet size (50.9 x 32.3 cm) allowed for generous margins, emphasizing the print's status as a collector's piece. As a leading French artist of the late 19th century, Besnard bridged Impres...
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...