The Orgy (L'orgie)
1900
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Paul-Albert Besnard
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
See the richer artist page1900
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Orgy (L'orgie) is a 1900 ink by Paul-Albert Besnard, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a chaotic crowd of people tangled together in dark, swirling lines. Some faces look up, others are hidden or turned away, all caught in a messy, shadowy scene. The lines are thick and scratchy, making everything feel rough and urgent. The artist used a technique called drypoint to create these deep, textured marks—you can almost feel the pressure of the tool on the paper. The whole image buzzes with movement, even though it’s just ink on paper. Next, look up etching to see how artists like Besnard made prints like this.
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
See the richer artist page
