1887
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Woman Reading in the Studio (La Lecture dans l'atelier) is a 1887 ink by Paul-Albert Besnard, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a woman sitting in a dim room, her back to us. She’s turned slightly, holding a book open in her lap. Behind her, a tall easel stands empty, and a window with shutters lets in faint light. The lines are loose and scratchy, like quick notes on paper. The artist used a technique that lets ink sit in carved grooves, creating sharp, textured marks. This isn’t a smooth painting—it’s more like a detailed drawing pressed onto paper. Check out etching to see how artists like this make prints.
Paul-Albert Besnard (1849–1934) was a French artist, born in 7th arrondissement of Paris.
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