Artwork
Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (La Reine Élisabeth de Belgique)
Queen Elisabeth of Belgium (La Reine Élisabeth de Belgique) is an ink print by Albert Besnard. It dates from 1917 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
- Inscription
- Inscribed:lower right in graphite: ABesnard; lower center in graphite: 4e etat epreuve l'artiste; by later hand, lower center in graphite: T
- Markings
- Marked:None.
About this work
Overview
Albert Besnard’s 1917 print titled "Queen Elisabeth of Belgium" presents a stark, monochrome portrait of the Belgian monarch. Executed on Arches laid paper, the image captures the queen’s head and shoulders, her hair gathered back and a high collar framing her features against a deep, shadowy background that emphasizes her face.
Subject & Meaning
The work depicts Queen Elisabeth, who served as Belgium’s queen consort during World War I. By isolating her visage and employing a somber tonal contrast, Besnard conveys a sense of dignity and resolve, reflecting the queen’s public role and the gravity of the wartime period.
Technique & Style
The print combines etching, drypoint, and printed tone (aquatint) to achieve its textured surface. Etching provides the linear framework, while drypoint adds a scratchy, velvety quality to the lines. Aquatint creates subtle tonal washes that deepen the background, resulting in a richly layered, atmospheric effect.
History & Provenance
Created in 1917, the piece emerged amid the First World War, a time when portraiture of national figures was often used for morale and propaganda. The print is catalogued as a work on paper by Besnard, though specific details of its exhibition or collection history have not been widely documented.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
