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The Roman Studio (L'Atelier de Rome)

Paul-Albert Besnard

1885

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

Dominant colour

The Roman Studio (L'Atelier de Rome) is a 1885 ink by Paul-Albert Besnard, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Paul-Albert Besnard
When & what style?: 1885 · Impressionism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a person sitting at a desk, hunched over with their head resting on one hand. The room looks dim, with heavy curtains framing a window behind them. The artist used lots of cross-hatching to show folds in the person’s robe and the texture of the chair and desk. The paper has a green tint, which is unusual for etchings. This piece was made using a mix of etching and aquatint, which lets artists add soft shading. Next, check out etching to see how artists like Besnard created detailed prints like this.