1900
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
In the Crowd (Dans la foule) is a 1900 ink by Paul-Albert Besnard, held at National Gallery of Art.
This painting depicts a skeleton standing in the center of a crowded street, surrounded by people in dark attire. The skeleton is dressed in a long coat and top hat, holding a cane in its right hand. It appears to be walking through the crowd, which is densely packed around it. The scene is rendered in dark tones, with the skeleton and the people around it depicted in shades of black and gray. The background of the painting is a deep, rich brown, which adds to the overall somber mood of the scene. The artist's use of etching on van gelder zonen wove paper creates a sense of texture and depth in the painting, drawing the viewer's eye to the intricate details of the scene. For more on etching, explore its role in art history.
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
See the richer artist page
