1917
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (La Reine Élisabeth de Belgique) is a 1917 ink by Paul-Albert Besnard, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a close-up portrait of a woman’s face and neck, drawn in black lines on a light background. The lines are thick and textured, making the face look almost carved out of the paper. The woman’s hair is pulled back, and her gaze is steady but serious. The artist used a technique that layers ink to create depth, giving the face a rough, almost sculpted feel. This isn’t a painting—it’s a print made by pressing ink through carved lines. Next, check out etching, drypoint, aquatint to see how artists like this create prints.
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
See the richer artist page
