Who painted Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre)?

Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre) was painted by Albert Besnard in 1885.

Where can I see Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre)?

Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre) is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre)?

Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre) is associated with Impressionism.

Can I buy a print of Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre)?

Museum-quality prints of Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre) are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre)

Albert Besnard , 1885

Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre) is an ink print by the Impressionist artist Albert Besnard. It dates from 1885 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right below plate mark in graphite: ABesnard; upper right in plate: AB; by later hand, lower left in brown ink: 267; by later hand, lower right verso in brown ink: 268; by later hand, center left verso in graphite: 23-1
Markings: Marked:None.

About this work

Overview

Model Asleep on the Floor (Le modèle endormi à terre) is an etching created by Albert Besnard in 1885, executed in black on laid paper using a combination of etching, roulette, and drypoint techniques.

Subject & Meaning

The print depicts a fully dressed individual lying on their back on the floor, with a tilted head and arms at rest. The subject's pose and attire suggest a moment of unexpected rest or exhaustion, rather than a traditional recline.

Technique & Style

The work features loose, scratchy lines alongside targeted cross-hatching to convey texture, evident in the folds of the long coat and the fur of the hat. The juxtaposition of rapid strokes with meticulous shading reflects a focus on capturing everyday life with expressive immediacy.

History & Provenance

Created in 1885, the etching aligns with a late 19th-century artistic shift towards depicting unposed, realistic scenes. Besnard's use of mixed intaglio techniques (etching, roulette, drypoint) was characteristic of experimental printmaking practices during this period.

Context

The piece emerges from an era where artists moved away from polished, idealized representations, instead emphasizing the mundane and the natural. This etching's style and subject matter place it within the broader movement towards realism and observational art.